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KALANGA – Voters have urged the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) to amend a section of the Elections Act to allow them to recall an underperforming legislator after serving a period of two years in Parliament.

Mandlenkosi Lukhele also appealed to the commission to consider reviewing the law, to ensure that an underperforming Member of Parliament (MP) was recalled by the electorate.

Lukhele said they had elected legislators in the past but they had done nothing to improve the lives of the electorate through bringing in development initiatives at their respective communities.

The voter said the electorate should be given the powers to recall their representatives in Parliament if they failed to implement their mandate.

“The commission should not waste time but ensure that the law to recall an MP if he or she underperforms is enacted,” he said.

Tobhi Tsabedze encouraged women to participate in the upcoming elections.

“Women should not undermine each other but support one another. Let us vote and be voted in to the different positions. We have to increase the number of women in Parliament,” she said.

Electorate

EBC Deputy Chairman Bishop Sipho Tembe said the commission had engaged legislators on this subject matter and the Office of the Attorney General (AG) as it had been an issue that was raised by the electorate in the past.

“Thank you for your submissions and we will make sure that they reach the people whom they are intended for. We have met with MPs after this issue was raised but will make a follow-up on it,” Tembe said.

Meanwhile, once again, the voters decried the hiring of civil servants during national elections, labelling it as being unfair, considering that they had gainful employment yet many people were looking for jobs.

Former Lugongolweni MP Wiseman Ntshingila made his submission to the EBC officials during the voter and civic education exercise held on Saturday at the KaLanga chiefdom.

The former legislator questioned the commission’s stance in creating job opportunities for the unemployed emaSwati, who were idle at their homes. Ntshingila said the commission should prioritise the unemployed youth in communities rather than hiring civil servants.

“I have observed in past elections that the commission hires civil servants during elections and one wonders why because they have gainful employment. We have children who will be tempted to engage in criminal activities because they are unemployed yet they are graduates,” he said.

Also echoing the former MP’s submission was Phiwayinkosi Maziya, who urged the commission to prioritise the youth.