New KAA chairman ousted
Lebogang Baingapi | Tuesday May 30, 2017 16:21
This follows nullification of election results last week. The duo was voted in last week Monday. At the time when the Southern District Council (SDC) chairperson Alec Seametso tried to block the proceedings of the elections.
It emerged that BDP preferred to retain the former chairperson, Tlhomamo Dibeela, but UDC nominated BDP’s Pelekekae for the seat. Upon realising this, Seametso chipped in and called for a re-caucus, which failed to save the day. Pelekekae who is also the former KAA vice chairperson felt humiliated by fellow democrats who wanted to deprive him the right to stand for elections. “It’s not BDP, its people who want to push their personal vendettas using others. I am thankful for UDC for nominating me to the post of chairman, but it should be noted that I remain a member of BDP. I am not defecting,” Pelekekae said.
KAA spent time trying to navigate their differences during elections, but the presiding officer went ahead with elections where Pelekekae won by 12 votes to Dibeela’s 10. Otlaadisa defeated Eric Chelenyane of the BDP by 12 votes to 11 to claim the vice chairman seat.
Pelekekae revealed in an interview with Mmegi that the council secretary, Poloko Mojalemotho together with the principal council attorney Sylvia Fologang-Matenge informed them that they acted on a legal advice to nullify the May 22 elections results and called for re-election on May 30.
Apparently, Mojalemotho said the presiding officer unlawfully used the standing order to conduct elections instead of the Local Government Act.
“Councillor Kagisanyo Tau tried to ask if Seametso and Chabalala had voting rights as per standing order 80, and the elections went ahead against his advice. What we are told now is that the two have voting rights and we are told to vacate the two seats as we wait for re-election,” Pelekekae said. As it stands, Local Government Act gives local authorities the power to formulate their standing orders.
Standing order 80 of Southern District Council states that a chairperson and vice chairperson shall have the right to attend any committee or meeting, but have no right to vote at the meetings.
By the time of going to press, Mojalemotho was in a meeting with his superiors in Gaborone consulting on the matter and refused to comment. However, words making rounds in the council corridors are that the elections will not go as planned today. KAA forms part of the SDC as a sub-council together with Moshupa, Mabutsane and Good-hope.