A prominent transport operator, Seabelo Tlhaselo said it was unfair to give business to South African companies at the expense of locals.
“I am completely against this practice. I feel bad because those people were taking our jobs,” said Tlhaselo.
But the managing Director of New Era Tours, Dimakatso Maripe who arranged the transport for BTC, said they settled for the South African company because it was cheap. She said they only paid R32,000 for the two luxury coaches.
She noted that the quotations from some of the local bus companies were higher. Tlhaselo countered that it was not true that the South African companies were cheaper. He said they could always match their prices.Tlhaselo said they could have supplied the luxury coaches since they have them in their fleet.
Maripe said the South African company, which they engaged, specialised in providing bus tours.
She said there is no local company, which provides a similar service. According to her, the local buses which are hired out are also used for public transport.She said they were in trouble because they could not source local transport equivalent to what the South African company was offering.
She claimed the BTC workers transported to Swaziland paid from their own pockets and did not use BTC funds. “When you do anything in this country it becomes political. People are not appreciative,” she said. She then threatened to sue this reporter if he wrote anything about her. “If you quote me I am going to make a lot of money from you. You will know about Maripe,” she threatened.
She warned a photographer who was accompanying the reporter that: “I am going to make a lot of money from your colleague if he writes anything about me.”
Meanwhile, BTC Public Relations Manager, Mogomotsi Kaboyamodimo denied that the employees were paying for the transport to Swaziland. He said it was the corporation, which was going to foot the bill for the trip. Kaboyamodimo said he did not know the costs involved. He said he does know how the South African company was hired. He noted that in most activities, BTC preferred local companies if it needed transport. He said they could only look elsewhere if local transport is not available.
“We prefer to use Batswana owned buses. In most of the cases, we hire buses that are owned by locals,” said Kaboyamodimo. But he added that it depends on the availability of transport.
