Tempers flare over BTO mess
Innocent Selatlhwa | Thursday October 27, 2016 18:00
For weeks, the Parliamentary Committee on Statutory Bodies and State Enterprises has heard evidence that Khama removed the BTO board, squeezed its CEO to resign and usurped decision-making powers at the parastatal, even single-handedly authorising the establishment of a Dubai office and authorising a P17 million budget for it.
Senior officials also told the MPs that Khama, popularly known as TK, had unilaterally reviewed salaries and structures at the BTO, giving the marketing manager a higher pay than the CEO.
Yesterday before the MPs, Khama accused the backbenchers, most of whom were BDP members, of using the BTO enquiry to fight political battles with him.
The hearing attracted a full House of spectators, including cabinet ministers who appeared to have come to lend their comrade some support.
In his initial appearance before the committee last month, Khama was calm and collected. Yesterday though, he was more aggressive, saying he had been told there was political motive behind the pointed questions.
“You know now I believe there is political motivation behind this. My friends, even those in the media, called me asking me about the questions. Well, they say politics is a dodgy dog,” Khama said.
However, the committee chair, Samson Moyo Guma countered that there was no such agenda.
“I am not aware of any political motivation. We only deal with issues that are here on the table. It would be wrong to bring political interests here; we just deal with facts,” he said.
Heated exchanges
Guma: “Minister, would you be comfortable if I recommended to Parliament that a forensic audit be carried out at BTO?”
Khama: “I would suggest that since we have a board, I could take up all the matters through it for reviewing and guidance on way forward. It’s up to you”.
Khama: “Audits should be taken at BCL, BPC, BDC etc. We have lost billions to these parastatals and they never got audited. They should not be left out as you recommend to Parliament that BTO be audited”.
Guma: “(Former CEO, Thabo Dithebe) said you instructed that some of your friends be given a certain tender. How far true is this?”
Khama: “I didn’t come here for character assassination. If they are my friends, they are equally his friends because he was present in all meetings with them”.
Pius Mokgware: “You keep on saying you were mislead. Are you admitting you failed as a Minister?”
Khama: “No. Guma, you were once an assistant minister of Finance and you know that you can be misled by your officers”.
The session was ongoing at the time of going to print.
* Catch up with coverage of the full session in our Friday edition.