PUSO Demands Instant Reinstatement Or Court Action

By Oliver Modise
Staff Writer | Monday June 2, 2008 00:00

Last Sunday the BNF officially slapped PUSO with a six-month suspension following a Southern Regional Committee meeting that went out of control. The letter of suspension was delivered to PUSO President Nehemiah Modubule, himself recently suspended. A lawyer acting for PUSO, Joba Nnoi, has written to the BNF Central Committee, warning the party leadership to set aside the suspension within seven days or face PUSO before the High Court in Lobatse.

Nnoi says that the Southern Region has no powers to suspend PUSO from the BNF. PUSO members are alleged to have disrupted a regional meeting held at Ipeleng Primary School in Lobatse last week Saturday. However, Nnoi argues that the suspension was unlawful because his clients were never given the opportunity to answer to the alleged charge. Nnoi contends that the meeting in question was a general membership meeting, adding that PUSO did not attend the meeting. 'If indeed our client had participated in the aforesaid meeting, the organization (would) have convened a meeting at which representatives of the organization would have been appointed to attend the meeting on its behalf,' reads the lawyer's letter to the BNF Central Committee.

According to Nnoi, Article 4.5.2.4 of the BNF Constitution recognizes the rights of a group member such as PUSO. He states that the same article also recognizes the legality of dual membership for both groups and individuals.

'Having made the above observations, while it is true that some members of our client indeed attended the meeting, it must also be noted that those members are also members of the BNF in their own right,' argues Nnoi.

PUSO members are alleged to have insisted that the agenda at the failed weekend meeting should start with the election of an interim constituency committee, citing lack of confidence in the existing committee as the motive.

It is understood that the regional committee tried to explain that it was procedurally impossible to elect an interim committee. This led to the disruption of the meeting as members refused to endorse the day's agenda.

'Whatever views they may have articulated are not necessarily the views of our client and they were certainly not representing the views of our client,' Nnoi contends.

He further states that if the logic behind the suspension is that the individuals concerned are members of PUSO, then they should also be suspended as BNF members. Nnoi expresses astonishment that no action has been taken against other BNF members who are not members of PUSO, but who also complained about the constituency committee.

'We must also place on record that even the individuals who are members of our client who attended the meeting categorically deny the charges that they disrupted the meeting,' Nnoi's letter says. PUSO members deny that they disrupted the meeting and argue that the delegation from the Region failed to conduct the meeting in an orderly manner, thereby leading to the cancellation of the meeting.

'It must be emphasized that the effect of the suspension of our client is to punish our client for an offence it has not committed without even having given it an opportunity to defend itself', says Nnoi.

Contacted for comment, BNF Publicity Secretary Moeti Mohwasa confirmed that his party had received a letter from PUSO's lawyers. 'Our position is that the matter is a regional issue and that if there is any displeasure an appeal can be launched with the Central Committee,' said Mohwasa. He said that for now the issue is still an internal party matter. PUSO has indicated that it will hold a press conference on its next move next week.