Baaitse speaks out
Correspondent | Friday October 11, 2019 10:27
These allegations are directly perpetuated by some politically inclined people whose main intentions are mainly to discredit Khama and Kgosi and the same allegations are baseless, malice and will confuse the nation.
When I left the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) in 1999 I started a construction company called Elshaddai Building Construction and a tour operating Company called Ebenezer Travel and Tours.
I later on bought another construction company from a certain Mr Mmopiemang and through the two construction companies I took sub-contracts from Complant Botswana, a Chinese construction company for the construction of school facilities in Matshekge High School and construction of Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) houses in Plateau, Kasane.
I further did some construction projects for councils and did stone paving for Louie Ville in Block 6. In 2005, through the help of the late Maele Mahupela I registered Prevailing Securities, this was my own idea as opposed to lies uttered and spread by so many that the company was not mine but for Khama.
It should be noted that these lies are merely spread for political mileage by those trying to paint the Khama name black, I believe I am only a scapegoat in this matter.
The whole picture is to tarnish former president Khama. It is also reported that my company or one of my companies have been involved with DIS under Kgosi. I state for the record that neither me, nor any of my companies have done any project for the DIS. In fact during Kgosi’s tenure at the DIS, I tried to bring many concepts to the DIS but have never been considered until I took such concepts to other organisations outside Botswana.
Regrettably, it is sad to say that for the past 11 months or so, my life has been under radar, articles I read from the media reported that some investigators mentioned they are gunning for me, for what I do not know. Some investigators in the newspapers also claimed they are concerned what I might be doing in Dubai. Unfortunately, the part they do not know or they are ignorant of is that I have been frequenting Dubai and United Arab Emirates (UAE) at large for the past 11 years or so.
Not just for pleasure but also for business since my Prevailing Securities had a client in Dubai, the United States of America (USA) and Jordan whose services were rendered in Botswana in their respective manner. The Government of Botswana has never given me any contract to transport diamonds, as it has been alleged. Debswana itself has never given me any contract of any kind.
The Government of Botswana has never given my companies to transport their cash. All these allegations are to the best of my knowledge untrue and ill-informed. On yet another note, I have conducted my businesses strategically, came up with diversification concepts, I personally came up with the airborne assets in transit after venturing into cash in transit.
The first aircraft I bought was a Piper Arrow II from a certain Liz Flug on instalments after her husband’s passing on. I later on sold the same to International Aviation Solutions on some terms. The second aircraft I bought was bought through sale of shares, this has been validated and on record.
For one to think I have been a front for former Khama is so unfortunate. Khama has never even influenced any decision on behalf of any of my companies business deals. As a matter of fact, the only support I ever had from Khama was on two occasions.
My company started the Mosu Project and Khama was the Vice President of the country then in 2006. He paid me with a Barclays Bank cheque for the project I was assigned to do and that was to build his personal house in the camp. The other person who engaged me was Tim Livercedge in the same Mosu project also to build his house next to Khama’s house.
The second support was to renovate his house in Gaborone not far from Princess Marina Referral Hospital still in 2006. Apart those two, I have never been involved in and business relationships with him. On the issue of Kgosi and the DIS, rumours have been spread about that my Prevailing Securities was favoured over others.
Sadly, Prevailing Securities was treated just like any other security company and even worse. In 2012, I wrote a letter to the DIS intending to sue the DIS for unfair treatment. It emerged that after passing all tender stages, then during vetting DIS would give a bad report about us.
Some of which were allegations that were once discussed in Parliament that Prevailing Securities does not comply with certain labour regulations. A certain Lickson Lekokoto from the Labour office wrote a letter seeking explanations why we do not comply with such regulations.
Prevailing Securities proved beyond reasonable doubt that we do comply with labour regulations and the same was a debated motion in Parliament brought in by Member of Parliament Botsalo Ntuane and all concerns that were brought to him by my evil accusers were brought to rest.
Secondly, DIS also stopped a contract between Prevailing Securities and Botswana Couriers after we as Prevailing Securities designed a security plan for the Central Medical Stores jointly with Botswana Couriers. DIS during the Kgosi leadership stopped our company from being awarded a Jwaneng Town Council security tender in 2013.
From what I have highlighted, you will notice that we were ill treated by DIS even though Isack Kgosi and myself have always been like brothers.
His explanation was that any wrong I do as an ex soldier and as a very professional security specialist is double what anyone else in the security industry does. In every debriefing we went to as is the procedure, DIS was always the cause of our tender losses.
I have been an instrument in assisting so many young Batswana who wanted to venture into the security industry as I have developed procedures for over eight prominent security companies that are currently running successfully.
I helped some companies that were struggling to win tenders due to their wrong tender submissions.
I have been an instrument to so many Security companies successes, the success of Prevailing Securities was based on hard work and research, I was never limited by my limitations neither will I ever be.
I have to also make it clear that recently I was listening to a phone conversation from one DIS agent to a close friend of mine telling him that when I get to Botswana they are going to arrest me because I am hiding Khama’s property and the money Khama ‘stole’.
The same DIS agent kept on telling this friend of mine that what happened to Kgosi is awaiting me. I don’t know the reasons for this.
Lately, I was also informed that there is allegations of P5.6 billion that disappeared in 2008 or so, and information I received is that former President Khama instructed that the same money be transferred to my account, which accounts I do not know.
I find this as propaganda aimed to lie to Batswana that Khama has stolen something from them and I am holding that for him. The Khama I know is different from the Khama is reported to be. The Khama I know is a loving, responsible and very honest person.
Why? Because I have brought projects to his office even as a friend and father figure, he has stood by good governance spirit and told me, it is a great concept but it has to go through the normal procurement process and I am not anyhow involved in that.
Some of the projects he referred me to share them with relevant Ministers, one such kind is Vincent Seretse who asked me to present to his team and in 2005 he referred me to the then Minister of Transport and communications Lesego Motsumi on a fleet management concept.
I would like the nation to know that Shadrack Shadhuf Baaitse is a hardworking and smart Motswana who hates corruption and advocates against inequality of people. We are all Batswana and deserve equal rights and access to Government policies.
Recently, our contracts as Prevailing Securities were terminated urgently with a one month termination payment, we decided not to question why, we realized it was a push them out syndrome, hence the one month termination payment.
Clearly, it goes without saying that there was a direct administrative instruction to terminate the tenders we won legally and lawfully.
I would like to challenge anyone who claims to have any corruption information on any tender irregularities involving my Company to come forward. Anyone who claims to have information on any property belonging to Khama to come forth, anyone who knows of any money I allegedly stole with Khama to come forth, any person who knows of any deal I did with either Kgosi or DIS under his command to come forward, anyone who claims to know any deal I allegedly did with Kgosi in the so called private jet to come forth.
I would like to encourage Batswana to open their eyes and read between propaganda and facts. Like I said, I’m only but a scapegoat but the whole picture is to say Khama was and is bad and all this fabricated stories are used as a tool.
The other truth is I am persecuted for two reasons. I have been informed that the very first time my name was mentioned by the current President Mokgweetsi Masisi was when both Masisi and Minister Nonofo Molefhi were contesting for party chairmanship.
I had given Molefhi and Molebatsi Molebatsi a flight ride to Selebi-Phikwe where they had to attend a Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) elective campaign or meeting in Mmadinare. I was told by a Masisi close ally that that time Masisi said he also has friends with aircraft like Satar Dada, reasons for saying that is unknown.
Secondly, I have been reliably informed that when the Office of the President denied former president Khama to board a Debswana flight to Boteti, I became a nuisance by organising him a flight for his trip and therefore was termed and labelled “go lwa le bagolo”. Whether one likes it or not, there is a serious political influence in every action against myself and my companies.
It is always mentioned even on social media that “Masisi o khansetse di tendera tsa bone” the question is, what was the motive? Clearly no one can say we obtained those tenders unlawfully or otherwise.
It is just a pull them down syndrome because of our association with the Khama and Kgosi. Over 400 ordinary Batswana lost their jobs due to the actions taken against us, thousands and more of other companies, one may wonder, if the BDP administration under Masisi can do such harm and increase the unemployment rate in just a few months, what more if they were to be given five years?
Shadrack Baaitse