Masire�s office to shut down

Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Tuesday August 15, 2017 18:00

 

Masire, who was the country’s second President died on June 22, 2017 after he was hospitalised for a week.

Just over a month after his burial, Tlhoiwe says the late former president’s office is still “up and running”. Tlhoiwe said there are no plans to shut the office because it is just an extension of the Office of the President.

“It is up and running. This office is just an extension of the Office of the President. It is business as usual, and the public would get any assistance from the office like before,” Tlhoiwe said.

This is contrary to assertion by the government spokesperson, Jeff Ramsay, who said while he could not tell when the office will be closed, most of the officers have already been redeployed.  “I don’t know when it would close but soon. Most of the staff has already been redeployed. I think the senior secretary is winding up,” Ramsay said.

But Tlhoiwe maintains that while some members of staff have been redeployed to some units within the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, this did not mean they are closing the office. He said business continues because there is more work to be done by the office.

“It is more of restructuring of the office because people are just being redeployed within the same ministry. For example, I am here but would also be doing some work at the headquarters. Even those whom we engaged to provide services to us are still doing that,” he added.

Tlhoiwe further stated that the office has to continue with the projects, which were not complete when the former president died. He stated that the office has a complement staff of 13.

Regarding the projects which were started when Masire was still alive, Ramsay said it depends on whether there are personal or for the state.