MALANTI – Voters in Malanti have told the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) that they want to have the power to recall under performing members of parliament (MPs).
They said they had, in the past, voted for a number of candidates to the august House who somehow forgot about their needs and were unhappy that there was nothing they could do to force the Members of Parliament (MPs) to deliver.
This was said during a campaign meeting organised by the EBC, for candidates who were canvassing for votes among Nkhaba Inkhundla voters.
The constituency will vote on September 3, 2016 to replace MP Xolani Mabuza who died in January 2016.
The five candidates addressed the community and made lots of promises for a better life.
The winning candidate is in line for a job that pays E46 318 per month. He or she will serve for only 19 months, which is the remainder of the current term of parliament.
They included Shainah Maseko, the only woman candidate, Samuel Mamba, Menzi Dlamini, Mkhosi Sikhondze and the youthful Sibusiso Thwala.
Chiefdoms that will vote for the new Nkhaba constituency MP are Malanti, Nkhaba, Kuvinjelweni, Mdzimba and Jubukweni.
The Malanti community has about 400 people on the voters’roll. However, it is not the largest area as Nkhaba and Luvinjelweni chiefdoms which have about 1 800 voters each.
Among their many promises, the candidates promised to fix the community’s dirt roads and said one that required immediate attention was the one that connects the community to the tarred Piggs Peak- Motshane road.
The road runs up a steep hill and is said to get quite muddy on rainy days such that community members could not use it with their vehicles.
The community was also told how homes would be electrified and every home would have access to water.
Nganono Mnisi, a resident of the area, told the candidates that they were just offering lip service because they would not deliver on their promises.
He said he was worried that the community would vote for them and they would never see them again.
Nganono said it was unfortunate that the community did not have any power or capacity to make the MPs deliver on their promises.
He said this during the question-and-answer session after candidate Menzi had delivered his speech.