BDP Mogoditshane branch suspends Mabaila supporters
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday November 2, 2018 14:58
Mmegi has learnt that the Mogoditshane Branch Committee sent out suspension letters to members this week.
The letters notified them that they would be summoned before a disciplinary hearing soon.
Interestingly, the branch committee secretary Ikanyeng Tshiamo signed the letters.
Tshiamo is the one that wrote a complaint letter against supporters. leader Tshepang Mabaila.
Some of the suspended members include Mogoditshane branch treasurer Rosemary Palalane, Priscilla Modisane, branch additional member Lesego Lebele, Kefilwe Matlapeng popularly known as Brigadier, Hazel Palalane, Tapologo Chadi, Mpho Matsietsa, Boitumelo Baeng, and Tshiamo Mokolobetsi amongst others.
The purging of Mabaila supporters is widely seen as a direct attack in an ongoing BDP war in Mogoditshane constituency.
The suspended members were seen protesting in a Mmegi Facebook live video clip.
The video clip showed the outraged party members who had come in solidarity with Mabaila calling on him to stand as an independent candidate.
They threatened to leave the party with Mabaila who at the time was saying that he has no choice but to stand as mokoko (independent candidate).
According to party insiders, the Branch Committee has actually punched above its weight, as it does not have the powers to suspend members.
Mabaila had won the hotly contested Bulela Ditswe primary elections and was poised to be the candidate for the party in the coming 2019 general elections.
The suspension letter written to different members says, “After the verdict passed on the former BDP parliamentary candidate, you behaved in a manner that is contrary to the BDP code of conduct.
“The branch committee convened and a resolution was taken that you be disciplined and the matter is thus referred to the disciplinary committee for disciplinary proceedings against yourself.
“It was also resolved that, while awaiting the disciplinary committee, you will be not allowed to participate in any party activities including but not limited to the following, the current ongoing mass registration drive, attendance of party structures ranging from the branch committee meetings to cell committee meetings, both youth wing and women’s wing structures activities and campaigning for and attending meetings with any party candidate”.
Mmegi has since realised that according to the BDP constitution, the branch does not have powers to suspend but instead only a President of the party does.
According to sources, the branch is alleged to have taken instruction from the secretary general Mpho Balopi.
“This matter was not even discussed at regional level because on Sunday during the Kweneng east region meeting, the members refused to discuss the issue and some even walked out saying the structures do not have powers to suspend anyone.
There is a serious division in Kweneng east region about Mogoditshane issues.
It is clear that some region members who are behind it know very well that these 19 members who sit in different committee structures might not vote for them on November 17, 2018 during region congress,” the source said.
The source added that other region members demanded minutes of the branch committee, which were not there. Palalane and Matlapeng confirmed the suspension.
“We do not take those suspension letters seriously until the committee shows us where in the constitution do they get those powers from”.