Makhandlela: A man of challenges

Onalenna Kelebeile | Friday June 13, 2014 15:54

 

“He is a man not to be entrusted with a position of authority. He is a foreigner to Selebi-Phikwe,” they ranted, knowing that for him politics was an unfamiliar terrain, especially in Selebi-Phikwe.

But the former deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development shrugged off the labels and went on to trounce four competitors in the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) parliamentary primaries.  He earned himself a ticket to contest in the coming general elections. The contenders must have rubbed their eyes in disbelief at being subdued by a political novice.  They immediately went into overdrive in an attempt to buttress their misplaced conviction that a greenhorn in Makhandlela cannot beat them.

They protested that he was unfair in the way he conducted his campaigns and that there were irregularities in the primary elections. However, they later chickened out.Makhandlela shook his head when Mmegi raised the fast fading memories of ‘Bulela Ditswe’ that are now like an albatross around the neck of the party.

Having outclassed his peers at the BDP, Makhandlela has a serious hurdle ahead - that of annexing the opposition-led Selebi-Phikwe West constituency back into the ruling party fold.

That will be the day he will have to prove to the doubting Thomases that he is a capable leader who should be entrusted with running the affairs of not only the constituency but also the country at large.

With the opposition, Makhandlela is facing an adversary who has dismissed his candidacy as an easy walkover.  At the same time, he is being challenged to first explain to the electorate why and how he left the Ministry of Education and Skills Development before he could be entrusted with their votes.

The opposition believes Makhandlela, who left on forced retirement, goes about campaigning for the hearts and minds of the voters while still shadowed by a cloud of controversy.

He labelled the whole thing as “sour grapes”, claiming as that he once had a nocturnal visit from some of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) senior officials who tried to recruit him, but said he could not leave the BDP that he has been loyal to since his formative ages. He emphasised that there was never any controversy surrounding him with regard to the problems that engulfed the education ministry during his tenure and dismissed everything as lies peddled by members of the opposition.

“I was merely used as a fall guy.  It was simply a management strategy to divert attention from the problems and the focus was all on me.  I had desired to retire in 2012 and venture into politics, but I was forced to retire in 2010. I challenged the decision in the courts of law and I lost the case on technicalities,” he explained.

Makhandlela also said he had to challenge the decision in court to prove to people that he was never at fault and that no reasons were advanced as to why a forced retirement was imposed on him.

“I then carried on with my life. There was never controversy surrounding me. The whole thing was blown out of proportion by the media,” he added.

Makhandlela recalled how he was on an official trip with the Minister in Mokobeng village in Tswapong South when he was urgently called back to the office, whereupon he was told to retire with immediate effect. “I showed the letter to my wife and then on Monday I went back to the office, packed my things and left a bye-bye note.  To me it was just a minor inconvenience because I had fully planned for my retirement since I started working.  I have a strong personality and when I started working, I knew I would not work forever hence I carried on with my life perfectly well after retirement.”

Makhandlela added that prior to his forced retirement, his interest was to contest in Bobirwa constituency to take over from former MP James Maruatona. “In fact, I had four offers being; Bobirwa, Gaborone North, Tswapong North and Selebi-Phikwe West. I weighed these areas and Selebi-Phikwe was closest to my heart because I grew up here. “I have realised that the town is stagnant economy-wise. I like challenges, so I carried the burden and chose the opposition-led constituency,” he explained.

Makhandlela was born in Bobonong in 1958 and started schooling in Mafetsakgang Primary School before proceeding to Swaneng Hill School in 1973.

After school, he briefly worked for BCL before he was admitted to the University of Botswana to study Bachelor of Arts and Concurrent Certificate in Education.

Upon completion, his first job  was as a teacher at Selebi-Phikwe Secondary School from 1983 to 1987. He also taught evening classes at Tebogo Primary School.

He would later, in the same year, be appointed the school head of Makhubu Junior Secondary School. In 1991, he went to United Kingdom top study for his Masters in Education Management and Policy and resumed his job at Makhubu JSS upon completion. In 2004, he was appointed the Chief Education Officer responsible for all schools in the Central District after heading Matshekge Secondary School.

His meteoric rise saw him becoming the Director of Teaching Services thereafter. He added that this was a time when there were serious problems over teachers’ issues regarding parallel progression. “I worked hard to eradicate those problems,” he said.  Makhandlela was promoted to Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education in 2008,  the position he held until his forced retirement in 2010.

Now, he said, the assignment he has to fulfill is to win back Selebi-Phikwe West constituency for the ruling party. 

He believes he has what it takes looking at the way the electorate has welcomed him.  “With all differences buried, nothing can stop me. I can assure the BDP that we will work tirelessly in this constituency,” he said.  Makhandlela will battle it out with the youthful Dithapelo Keorapetse of the BCP and Moeti Mohwasa of the Umbrella for Democratic Change.