G/North, Moshawa power struggle far from over

Mpho Mokwape | Tuesday March 15, 2016 15:02

The aggrieved camp is due to appeal Justice Michael Leburu’s judgment, with papers set to be filed this week.

The respondents include Linnet Havana, Simphiwe Mathendele and Khotso Lebatha, representing many residents including legislator Haskins Nkaigwa, former minister Tebelelo Seretse, police spokesman Christopher Mbulawa, magistrate Linah Mokibe and many others.

Members of the Gaborone North/Moshawa Community Development Trust have fallen out over the running of a water standpipe that generates over P1.5 million annually in sales to the area, which relies heavily on the standpipe as the Water Utilities Corporation is yet to connect the area. It is understood, the aggrieved camp is arguing that the water standpipe was given to the Moshawa Community and the G/North residents therefore had no right over its use, let alone the proceeds from the sale of the water.

“Also the objectives of the Trust, which are all-inclusive, were improperly arrived at as some people who voted were from Gaborone North and consequently the meeting was flawed,” the aggrieved camp says.

Last week Thursday, Justice Leburu of Lobatse High Court ruled in favour of the Trust, ordering that the respondents should stop acting as bank signatories at Barclays and not interfere with the Trust’s work.

The trust, through its lawyer Uyapo Ndadi, had previously argued that they had taken an initiative to apply for the full control of the standpipe and its account following water interruptions.

The trust said due to the suffering and inconvenience that ensued as a result of the repeated closure of the standpipe, concerned and active inhabitants of the area approached Water Utilities Cooperation (WUC) to find out why the standpipe’s water supply was often terminated.

“We were then told that the standpipe had outstanding bills and we were advised to apply for its control.

“We did that together with the opening of a Motshelo account that houses the money generated from the standpipe.

The running of the standpipe and the account is legit,” said members of the trust.

According to the court papers, the legal war started after some executive committee members within the Trust defected and wanted to do so with the running of the standpipe and the funds it generated.

The two areas do not have a water reticulation system and ahead of the case in court, residents went for days without water as the standpipe was closed by the Water Utilities Corporation due to pending bills.