BDP accuses UDC of "scapegoat politics" over gazette blunder
staff writer | Saturday April 4, 2026 11:05
In a strongly worded statement issued Saturday, the BDP condemned what it described as an effort to make the Director of the Department of Road Transport and Safety a “fall guy” in a matter it insists reflects a deeper failure of governance. In a public address on Thursday President Duma Boko revealed that they have suspended Bokhutlo Modukanele for allegedly undermining authority in the controversial hikes, which were later reversed by the government.
At the centre of the dispute is Government Gazette Notice No. 307 of 2026, which President Duma Boko recently admitted was issued “without verification and authorisation” from the appropriate leadership structures.
While the BDP acknowledged the President’s admission, it argued that the explanation does not go far enough.
“The UDC-led government must stop hiding behind officials and accept responsibility for a failure of the entire system,” the party Secretary General Kentse Rammidi said in a statement. The BDP dismissed the notion that the error could be attributed to a single Director and an Assistant Secretary, arguing that such a critical national decision would have passed through multiple layers of approval before publication.
“For ordinary citizens, the process is actually simple to understand. A fuel or transport fare adjustment is not like sending an office memo or typing a letter. It is a formal government decision with legal effect on the entire country,” Rammidi said.
He indicated that in simple terms, many hands touch such a decision before it becomes law. 'One person does not wake up and change national fares alone. That is why the UDC government’s explanation does not make sense.”
The opposition party questioned how the erroneous notice could have progressed through the system despite Cabinet reportedly deciding against implementing fare increases during the festive period.
“If Cabinet had already decided that Christmas was not the right time to implement the increase, then how did the wrong notice still move through the system and get published? Where was the Permanent Secretary? Where was the Minister? Where was the legal verification? Where were the internal controls? Where was the final sign-off that should protect the public from exactly this kind of mistake?” Rammidi questioned.
The BDP warned that the controversy points to either a breakdown in internal communication, weak supervision, or an attempt to shield senior political leadership from accountability.
“A Director is part of a system. He is not the system. When government works properly, responsibility follows authority. Those with the greatest power must carry the greatest accountability,” BDP further emphasised.
The party further accused the UDC government of prioritising damage control over transparency, arguing that the handling of the issue risks eroding public trust.
“This is not just an administrative error. It is an error of judgment, an error of supervision, and now an error of honesty in how the matter is being presented,” Rammidi said.
The BDP also called for a full disclosure of the decision-making chain behind the gazette, insisting that anything less would be unacceptable.
“The UDC must accept that it made a mistake in judgment. It must stop pretending this was the work of one person acting alone,” the Secretary General pointed out.
Framing the issue as a test of leadership, the BDP said the incident exposes a troubling approach to governance.
“Leadership is not about finding someone small enough to blame. Leadership is about accepting responsibility, correcting failure, and fixing the system,” Rammidi said in a statement.
The party concluded by warning that accountability not public relations must guide government action.