Tuesday, September 16, 2008

SWAZI ELDERLY PROMISED GRANTS

Times of Swaziland


15 September 2008


Aspiring MP promises bogogo E1 000 a month


By NHLANHLA MATHUNJWA


MOTSHANE – Amongst other things in her submissions, Thembeni Roberts has promised to improve the elderly grants if she becomes an MP.


Roberts told the close to 50 members of this community that she would make it a point that the elderly people get at least E1 000 a month.


"I want to make it a point that I convince the rest of the MPs to improve the elderly grants. The money they are currently getting is just too little and they can no longer afford to even have a meal for a month with that money," she said. She said she would also try her level best to convince the rest of the MPs not to tax the pensioners.


"It is important that the money of the pensioners not be taxed and also their pension should be increased every year. Also, government has to improve the allowances at the universities in order to stop these strikes which are currently going on," she said.


She also said it was important for women to support each other as it was now time for them to take over.

"In the past it used to be men, but I must say times have changed. Women should be in charge now and let us show this by supporting one another," she said.


The event was held in one of the community halls last Thursday.



How EBC plans to beat the long queues

MBABANE – To avoid long queues, more polling officers have been roped in ahead of Friday’s secondary elections.


This is in an effort to avoid a repeat of the primary elections, where some voters ended up being left out of the process due to the voting deadline.


This resulted to the process being extended to the following day in most of the polling centres.


Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) Deputy Chairman, Mzwandile Fakudze, said this time voters would have the opportunity to use more than one ballot box so as to speed up the process.


"In some polling stations we would have four areas where voters would cast their votes and we expect this to hasten the process," said Fakudze.


Fakudze mentioned that voters should not worry because everything was now in order for the elections.


"In fact the problems that occurred during the primary elections regarding shortage of ballot papers and lack of candidates’ photographs were not of our making, but were due to both the nominees and voters themselves," he said.



Elijah upbeat for another term

MOTSHANE - Minister of Public Works and Transport Elijah Msibi who is also the former MP of the area, believes he can do a better job in the next Parliament.


The minister was asked if he still believed that he was still capable of representing the community in Parliament. He made it clear that if he would be voted back to Parliament, he would definitely make sure that all the needs of the people are met.


Link http://www.times.co.sz/News/1410.html

No comments: