News

BCA students demonstrate over terrible food

Sharon Mathala | Tuesday October 7, 2014 09:56

BCA students on demostrations
 
BCA students on demostrations

 

Mmegi is in possession of a letter from the Student Representative Council (SRC) president, Godiraone Samuel, to the dean of faculty dated October 3, 2014, notifying them of their intention to engage in a peaceful demonstration. In the letter, Samuel states, “The SRC has taken a decision to engage in a peaceful demonstration and petition BCA management for failure to escort Moghul out of BCA refectories where the on campus students feed. The situation of food condition is continually deteriorating and the student’s health and life’s are in danger. In fear of this, we notify your office that BCA students are likely to be absent from classes from October until such a time when the situation would be resolved.”
The Minister of Refectory at the school, Sonny Seth, told Mmegi that in the past some students had complained of finding dead cockroaches and flies in their food. He said they notified the school management of the matter on several occasions but there were still no improvements. He added that they had once engaged the Gaborone City council (GCC) for inspection but management refused to avail the full report. 
The Acting Principal at BCA, Mataba Tapela, confirmed the students’ peaceful demonstration. 
“ They asked that we terminate our contract with the Moghul. They allege that the food is sometimes not enough and that the catering company is not following the agreed menu,” he said.
Tapela further said BCA outsources its catering service. He explained that the school engaged Moghul on a temporary basis as of June 1. He added that as soon as the school had finalised the logistics of the tenders for catering for the school, they would set up a committee to monitor the new service provider.
“ We tried to call the students representatives but they turned us down and requested we do in writing. We have done that and hope to meet up with them soon,” he said.
The Director at Moghul, Ahmad Saddiqi rubbished the claims noting that students had their own personal agenda. 
“The issue here is not the food but money. The students want their money in cash, they do not want the school to engage any catering company, he said. 
“ We make two separate deliveries to the school, which is food for the students and the staff. We have not received any complaints from the staff members. It is all a pack of lies. If our food was bad, school management would not have extended our contract,” he added. BCA has a total of 1400 students, with 480 living on campus.

Mmegi is in possession of a letter from the Student Representative Council (SRC) president, Godiraone Samuel, to the dean of faculty dated October 3, 2014, notifying them of their intention to engage in a peaceful demonstration. In the letter, Samuel states, “The SRC has taken a decision to engage in a peaceful demonstration and petition BCA management for failure to escort Moghul out of BCA refectories where the on campus students feed. The situation of food condition is continually deteriorating and the student’s health and life’s are in danger. In fear of this, we notify your office that BCA students are likely to be absent from classes from October until such a time when the situation would be resolved.

”The Minister of Refectory at the school, Sonny Seth, told Mmegi that in the past some students had complained of finding dead cockroaches and flies in their food. He said they notified the school management of the matter on several occasions but there were still no improvements. He added that they had once engaged the Gaborone City council (GCC) for inspection but management refused to avail the full report. 

The Acting Principal at BCA, Mataba Tapela, confirmed the students’ peaceful demonstration. “ They asked that we terminate our contract with the Moghul. They allege that the food is sometimes not enough and that the catering company is not following the agreed menu,” he said.

Tapela further said BCA outsources its catering service. He explained that the school engaged Moghul on a temporary basis as of June 1. He added that as soon as the school had finalised the logistics of the tenders for catering for the school, they would set up a committee to monitor the new service provider.“ We tried to call the students representatives but they turned us down and requested we do in writing. We have done that and hope to meet up with them soon,” he said.

The Director at Moghul, Ahmad Saddiqi rubbished the claims noting that students had their own personal agenda. “The issue here is not the food but money. The students want their money in cash, they do not want the school to engage any catering company, he said. “

We make two separate deliveries to the school, which is food for the students and the staff. We have not received any complaints from the staff members. It is all a pack of lies. If our food was bad, school management would not have extended our contract,” he added. BCA has a total of 1400 students, with 480 living on campus.