Old guard vs new blood at LSB meeting

Oarabile Mosikare | Wednesday November 26, 2014 16:58

 

The AGM will be held in the tourism resort town of Kasane from Friday until Sunday. Seven positions in the Society’s council are up for grabs, including the top positions of chairman and vice-chairman.

On November 4, LSB executive secretary, Tebogo Moipolai issued a nomination list comprising the 13 names of individuals interested in the council positions. The current seven council members are automatically up for re-election.

On Monday sources said the battle lines in the fight for the council are glaring in the nominations, which closed on October 31.

It is reported that one camp features veteran lawyer Kgalalelo Monthe, Osego Garebamono, Joseph Akoonyatse and Keamogetse Sefakwe. The other camp allegedly comprises Ookeditse Maphakwane, Teto Sebola, Dumezweni Mthimkhulu, Paul Muzimo, Obonye Jonas, Neo Sharp and Kabo Motswagole.

There are also two independent candidates who are not part of any camp – Oarabile Pitso and Kusigani Alidi. The current council led by Lawrence Lecha as chairperson has Marvin Torto, Tebogo Sebego, Maliki Mmohe, Jost Simvula Issac, Gibson Mabulu and Naomi Magama as members. 

“The two camps have distinct agendas,” the sources said.

It is understood a key campaign point in the council vote will be the question of citizen owned firms securing more work from parastatals, municipalities, land boards and financial institutions in which government is a shareholder.

Issues around the influx of non-citizen practitioners into the local industry are also expected to be divisive.

Sources say government attorneys are also keen to enhance their participation in the running of the Society as they believe they have been under-represented in the past.

“Government attorneys are the majority in the Society but have been previously if not always unrepresented in the council which is often dominated by those in private practice,” another source said.