BCP grabs Tshireletso nemesis
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday March 28, 2014 15:21
Nthobelang confirmed to Mmegi that he has resigned from the BDP saying the ruling party had failed to address their concerns when they complained about primary elections irregularities. He said some electorate in Mahalapye East are not happy with how things are done by their party elders in the constituency.
The BDP secretary general Mpho Balopi has also confirmed Nthobelang’s resignation, as has the BCP spokesperson Taolo Lucas that the defector is now their member and will be contesting the Mahalapye East parliamentary seat. He will be facing Tshireletso and Harry Mothei of the Umbrella for Democratic Change.
Nthobelang had more than himself to offer to the leading opposition party. Three of the BDP councillors in that area are in talks with the BCP to decamp, possibly in three weeks’ time. Two of these councillors lost the BDP primary elections last year. Nthobelang and some of the BDP members who lost primaries in Mahalapye East complained of irregularities during primary elections and had wanted a re-run. At some point, some of the concerned members in the area threatened court action against the party. This was after their case before the BDP appeals’ committee was dismissed without hearing. “This really shows that BDP does not respect us at all. How can the party leadership ignore us when we were seeking their audience? At times it is good for a person to go where he feels he can be recognised and respected,” said Nthobelang.
He said his move from BDP would cause a lot of pain because his followers intend following suit. He is expecting the three disgruntled councillors to join him in three weeks. One of the concerned BDP members in Mahalapye East Davis Gabokgethwe told Mmegi that it was sad that Nthobelang had defected.
“It is true that the BDP structures in the area are dead and opposition parties will take advantage of that. For now it is still difficult to know the impact that Nthobelang will have but I urge BDP members to fight within the party. I heard rumours that some might defect but the party is not doing anything about it,” said Gabokgethwe.
However, Balopi said it is not true that his party is not doing anything to address problems raised by Mahalapye East constituents about primary elections irregularities.
“We had delegated members of the central committee for each region to give counselling to those who had lost elections. The issue of Mahalapye East was dealt with by the appeals’ committee but unfortunately it did not succeed looking at the evidence that was produced,” he said. He said each case was judged basing on its merit. Balopi said every member of their party is important and they get concerned when they lose some members.
In the Kanye North constituency, four had resigned from BDP including its regional chairperson Phenyo Kingsley Thekeleza.
Thekeleza will be joining the race of those who will be contesting for the parliamentary seat in that area. The three who will be contesting for council candidates are Dommmy Lenyatso for Magothwane ward as independent, Ronald Steglin for Ranaka and Kagiso Gunnie for Kgomokasitwa. The four say they resigned because BDP leadership had failed to listen to their concerns when they complained of BDP primary elections’ irregularities.