BPF factions go for a third bout
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday July 31, 2023 06:00
The third bout is promising to be a fierce and decisive one. The five whom president Butale want jailed have fell short of labelling him a liar. They refute his claims that the author of his suspension letter, Barulaganye Letang, is not a member of the party’s Disciplinary Committee.
This is after Butale in his latest application to restore his presidency filed an affidavit claiming he did not know Letang. Butale feels some power hungry members of his party want to ‘steal’ his presidency.
He now wants an order that would see five respondents in the matter being jailed. Lawrence Ookeditse, Tshekedi Khama, Letang, Dr Kolaatamo Malefho and Mephato Reatile are the first and fifth respondents respectively.
On July 4, 2023, according to Butale, one Letang, the 3rd respondent herein, issued a letter in which he purports, as secretary of the Disciplinary Committee, to inform the party of his (Butale) suspension as per a one-sided deliberation of the Disciplinary Committee. “This is a fake correspondence that has absolutely no weight!, it is simply made to attempt to rely on the rule that an administrative act is lawful until declared unlawful.
However, I maintain that because it is fake, it is so patently unlawful that it is an exception to that rule and therefore carries no weight even before the court’s intervention. I say it is fake because by the 10th of July 2023, the vice chairperson alongside the majority of members from the Disciplinary Committee issued a letter in which they made it clear that they are not authors of the said letter, and further that Letang is not even a member of the Disciplinary Committee,” he stated. Butale holds that regardless of the letter being fake, the other respondents in cahoots with Letang have taken the letter and its contents and have attempted to parade it as authentic and carrying effect against him.
Countering Butale’s submissions, Ookeditse in his replying affidavit states that there was a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting chaired by Butale on December 8, 2022. He states that at the said meeting, Letang was appointed to the DC alongside one Godknows Robby. In support of his case, Ookeditse filed minutes of the said meeting which showed that indeed he partook in such a meeting.
“I have perused at the minutes of the NEC meeting filed by Barulaganye Letang and I confirm that record presents, with accuracy and precision, the discussion and decisions of the NEC meeting which I was part of.
On this basis, it cannot be correct for Butale claim no knowledge of Letang. It is disingenuous and opportunistic for Butale to posit that he does not know Letang and his official capacity as a member of the DC.” The matter which was filed on urgency will be heard by Justice Zein Kebonang on 31st July. Rammika and Tafa Attorneys represent Butale while the respondents are represented by Otto Itumeleng Attorneys and JJ Matomela Attorneys.