UNIGEM property to go under the hammer

Mpho Mokwape | Tuesday November 25, 2014 12:59

Unigem owes Yazoo company close to P60,000. Unigem, a company incorporated and formed by five main public sector unions with equal shareholding has been entangled in a court battle with Yazoo Company.  Recently at the Francistown High Court, Justice Professor Kholisani Solo gave a default judgment and enforced a writ of execution to attach Unigem property for public auction following the company’s failure to appear in court on several occasions.

 According to court papers, Unigem company was served with summons papers for a claim of P58,700 of which the company failed to enter any appearance to defend the matter.

The court papers further stated that after time for entering appearance expired, the plaintiff requested judgment in default of appearance against the Unigem company with regards to certain terms and conditions.

The terms of the default judgement stated that the judgement be delivered in the sum of P58,700 at a 10 percent interest together with costs and alternative relief. Unigem  was incorporated in 2008 and it exists as an investment vehicle for the unions to realise sustainability and fulfill their quest to satisfactorily represent their members.

It is responsible for the administering of Government Employees Motor Vehicle and Residential Property Guaranteed Advance Scheme (GEMVAS).

Unigem is owned by five public sector unions, namely Botswana Teachers Union (BTU), Botswana Secondary Teachers Union (BOSETU), Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU), Botswana Land Boards, Local Authorities and Health Workers Union (BLLAWHU) and the National Amalgamated, Central and Local Government and Parastatal Workers Union (NACLGPWU).

Efforts to get a comment from the unions drew a blank as their phones rang unanswered.