No End To BOPEU Leadership Woes
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Monday December 7, 2020 15:23
This follows chalking off of the suspension of the union’s former president, Masego Mogwera and the dismissal of former general secretary, Topias Marenga.
While Mogwera and Marenga believe that the judgement reinstated them into BOPEU office, the other faction led by Olefile Monakwe remains resolute that the two are not welcome. The High Court delivered a judgement in which, amongst other things, it declared that the April 27, 2019 decision to suspend Mogwera as president pending disciplinary action was unlawful and set it aside. It also declared as null and void the proceedings of the same National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. In an interview, Mogwera said she was ready to return to office and resume her duties this week.
Mogwera, who is currently back at the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security, following the lapse of her secondment tenure, said she would juggle the union functions with her day job at the ministry. However, she said they would not force entry into BOPEU offices if there were resistance.
On the other hand, the Monakwe faction remains unshaken and of the view that Mogwera remains expelled from the union despite court declaration that her initial suspension was unlawful, and have since reinforced security to deny her access into office. The faction’s general secretary, Kaboyaone Sedimo told The Monitor the judgement has been overtaken by events as it speaks to Mogwera’s suspension only not expulsion. “We read the judgement. It is clear and not ambiguous. It dealt with the suspension of 2019. She was suspended while president, but later expelled in December by a different structure of the union. Had the judgement been delivered in October 2019, it could have been a different case,” Sedimo said. He also said Mogwera’s expulsion was not as a result of her suspension, but based on a report of the 2018 congress, which was not concluded.
She said until then, Mogwera and Marenga remain expelled and are not welcome at BOPEU offices. He said that the matter would be settled through a different court case.
“We reinforced security last week. It doesn’t matter who the security company brings in and how that person looks. But the security will remain reinforced until such a time we feel it is unnecessary,” Sedimo added.
It is alleged that following the recent judgement, Marenga was sent back by ‘bouncers’ while trying to enter BOPEU premises. The said ‘bouncers’ allegedly told him that they were instructed not to allow him, or Mogwera access into the premises.