Four NEC members back Butale

Mompati Tlhankane | Friday June 9, 2023 12:10

Butale was suspended for 90 days on Monday and he filed an urgent application Wednesday before Lobatse High Court to overturn his suspension among others.

The matter will be decided today. The NEC members backing Butale include suspended secretary for labour affairs Moiseraele Goya, Secretary for International Affairs James Kgalajwe, Secretary for Constitutional and Legal Affairs Osego Mapiki and secretary for economic affairs Mmapula Matlhole.

The secretary for education Reitumetse Aphiri who is also the applicant in the matter alongside Butale has also attached her affidavit in support of their case.

All the four Butale backers are part of the BPF NEC.

In his supporting affidavit, former Palapye legislator and Minister Moiseraele Goya says he was informed about the NEC meeting of June 5, 2023, a meeting he says he attended. He said he was notified about the meeting by Dr Kolaatamo Malefho through a WhatsApp message on June 4, 2023. “At all times, there was no agenda communicated. In fact, the meeting did not commence at 9am but sometime later as it appeared that no prior arrangement was made with Arirang Hotel,” he disclosed.

Goya said since he was not notified that the meeting was not sanctioned by Butale the meeting therefore is unlawful. He noted that later in the meeting he was suspended from the party. “I have always asked about the president’s presence and I continued to do the same at the meeting. I was told that issues, relating to the lack of President, will be dealt with later if any arise”.

While Goya said he knew about the meeting and even attended it, some of the NEC members said they knew nothing of the meeting and were not informed about the occurrence of the NEC meeting on June 5, 2023. They maintained that they were not notified of the NEC meeting hence if it did occur was not sanctioned by the party President Butale and therefore is unlawful.

All the NEC members supporting Butale said they seek the court’s intervention to progress critical party matters including the preparation of the party’s participation in a by-election slated July 8, 2023.

They added that a candidate of the party must be selected and produced to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on June 15, 2023. They said this has to be resolved by the court because the BPF has set tomorrow as the date for primary elections.