BPF NEC tackles ‘defiant’ Butale
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday September 11, 2023 06:00
He disregarded the ruling from the word go and went across the country addressing BPF members as ‘president’. The party is now fed up with antics and has moved to restrain him.
Through JJ Matomela Attorneys, the BPF NEC has written to Butale’s attorneys Kole Law Practice to advise him to cease and desist from regarding himself as the BPF president. “Your client is aware of the judgment of Justice Zein Kebonang, where the court made a finding that his expulsion from the BPF is lawful. He unsuccessfully attempted twice to stay his expulsion from the BPF.
Despite knowledge of the judgment of Justice Kebonang and the pending review proceedings before Justice Boipuso Makhwe, your client continues to use BPF colours, pictures and logo for his gatherings. Your client continues to contract with third parties for services in the name of the BPF and he does this without authorisation of the BPF,” reads the letter dated September 6, 2023.
The BPF laments that Butale has advertised a gathering for September 9, 2023 in Gaborone. The party states that the BPF has no reason to interfere with Butale's constitutional rights of association and expression, however, when he uses the logo, colours and symbols of the BPF for his gathering, in the manner that he does, he is interfering with the rights and interests of the party.
“Not only is your client engaging in deceptive advertising using the colours, symbol and logo of the BPF, he is actually engaging in an unlawful self-help and constructive contempt of the proceedings before Makhwe. We are instructed to demand, as we hereby do, that your client immediately cease and desist from his deceptive marketing using the symbols, picture and logo of the BPF for his gathering scheduled on the 9th September 2023.
We demand that he pulls down the offensive marketing material where he seeks to give an impression that the gathering is that of the BPF,” the attorneys submit. The BPF also stated that it sought an undertaking from Butale that he would immediately cease and desist from engaging in his offensive and unlawful conduct by close of business on September 6, 2023.
“Without such an undertaking, we are instructed to institute contempt proceedings and an application for a restraining order against your client, costs of which will be from your client's pockets. By this letter, your client is placed on notice and we trust that he will properly advised by yourself,” the party writes. Called for a comment, Butale said “no comment.” But he is adamant that he was wrongfully suspended and expelled from the party hence his defiance. Butale has been traversing the country and states that BPF members are rallying behind him. He has addressed in Molepolole, Francistown, Palapye, Gumare and is now billed to address members in Gaborone this weekend.
He believes though that he has lost a couple of urgent applications to reclaim his presidency, but his review application will eventually restore him to the helm of the BPF.