Tlangae questions BCP
Chakalisa Dube | Friday January 18, 2019 12:00
Tlangae has also described efforts to recall him as an ill-fated exercise meant to deny him candidacy at the elections.
In a three-page letter routed to the party recently, he believes that BCP Francistown East constituency chairperson, Kagiso Koontse is behind plans to recall him, for personal gain.
There are reports that Koontse is interested in contesting at Central ward, which explains why he is fuelling efforts to topple Tlangae. Last year Koontse was tipped to represent the BCP at the polls.
He later announced that he will not contest in 2019 citing personal commitments, but those close to him said he was infuriated when Tlangae expressed desire to challenge him at the primaries.
According to reports, Koontse had initially thought that he would not go through the primaries. Late last year, a six-member committee in the Francistown East constituency led by Koontse wrote a letter to Tlangae seeking to recall him as a candidate for Central ward at the 2019 general elections.
The committee alleged that the youthful Tlangae was not the right person to defend the ward. The committee also alleged that it was inundated with complaints from members against Tlangae’s ‘poor performance in the ward’.
“According to my knowledge, there are only two comrades who are members of the Francistown East constituency committee, i.e. Councillor Ben Mpotokwane and Koontse. All comrades who were voted alongside the two have since deserted their positions or defected to other parties. “There has never been any conference in Francistown East constituency where these comrades were replaced. The constituency chairperson does not have the powers to co-opt the entire executive. The current committee is not legitimate (with the exception of Koontse and Mpotokwane),” read part of Tlangae’s letter to the BCP Francistown East constituency committee.
“Furthermore, Cde Florah Makhiwane is a member of North East regional committee yet she is again referred to as the Francistown East constituency vice chairperson contrary to article 19.5.2 which states that; ‘With the exception of the central committee, a member of the regional committee shall not be a member of any elective structure of the party’ and article 20.3.2 which also states that; ‘A member of the constituency committee shall not be a member of any other elective structure of the party,’” he added. He suspected that the motive behind Koontse’s conduct was to build a case against him so that he be recalled as the candidate for the next general elections. Yesterday, Koontse said that to the best of his knowledge the committee that is seeking to recall Tlangae was procedurally elected.
He said that it was possible that Tlangae might not be privy to the details of how the new committee came into being after some of its members ditched the party because he had not been attending some key party gatherings.
The Francistown East constituency chairperson also denied that he want ed Tlangae to be recalled so that he can replace him. He maintained that Tlangae’s performance was not pleasing which is why party members in Francistown East wanted him recalled.
“Let me not say much because we are meeting over the weekend to respond to Tlangae’s letter.” Tlangae said that he was not in a position to field questions from the media with reference to plans to recall him. Interestingly, Koontse has said that he did not rule out the possibility of contesting the primaries or being endorsed to represent Central ward at the next general elections should Tlangae be recalled.