Botash fires Mphathi
Ryder Gabathuse | Friday November 3, 2017 12:15
Mphathi, who joined the soda ash producing mine in Sowa Town in 2011 from the now defunct copper/nickel producing BCL Mine, parted ways with his employer of six years unceremoniously this week, reports reaching Mmegi have revealed.
Mmegi can reveal that all has not been well between Mphathi and the employer in recent times. Insiders have long seen a decision of this nature coming.
Some Botash employees have been leaking a litany of concerns at the workplace blaming the mine management for failing to deal with such issues openly and promptly. In a telephone interview from South Africa where he is based, Botswana Ash Board chairperson, Ian Forbes, confirmed yesterday that the company has indeed parted ways with Mphathi.
He was however, reluctant to reveal the actual reasons for firing a CEO who is reputed to have turned around the fortunes of the ailing BCL Mine during his time as its CEO. It was under Mphathi’s stewardship that BCL became profitable and stopped relying on government bail out.
“It’s an internal matter handled by the board and it’s not a matter for public consumption,” Forbes declared diplomatically.
Quizzed about the alleged abruptness of the decision to sack Mpathi, Forbes stated that the decision was not abrupt as there were a lot of behind-the-scenes discussions between parties involved before it culminated in the sacking.
Asked further if indeed Mphathi has been fired as a new MD has already been appointed by the Board, albeit on an acting basis, Forbes explained: “It’s an internal thing and we were forced to make a decision for the important position in the company to remain covered.”
Forbes was insistent that, ‘it’s company policy that we don’t discuss Board decisions with the media. The decision to appoint, dismiss or make significant strategic decisions is made by the Board, including the recent appointment of a new MD, albeit on acting basis.”
Further confirming leadership changes as instituted by the Board at the Sua Pan Mine, the newly-appointed acting MD, Kangangwane Phatshwane took over the reigns on Wednesday this week.
“I have been appointed by the Board to act in the position of MD until such a time that the Board has appointed the substantive MD,” said Phatshwane who has been the company's general manager (operations).
He was reluctant to reveal real reasons that motivated the Botswana Ash board of directors to reportedly fire Mphathi in an interview this week.
“What has happened to Mphathi is simply the discretion of the Board and it’s beyond me. It’s the Board that determines the suitability or otherwise of CEOs and other major strategic positions,” stressed Phatshwane.
In his heydays, Mphathi who started off as a very junior officer and rose through the ranks to head the BCL Mine, was one of the highest paid CEOs. Before he quit the BCL his salary once attracted controversy with parliamentarians and other politicians seeking to know how much he was paid.
In 2006, the then Specially Elected legislator, Botsalo Ntuane, raised a question in Parliament requesting the then Minister of Labour Moeng Pheto to disclose Mphathi's salary and other perks. Pheto declined, saying Mphathi’s salary was a private matter that could not be discussed openly in public places like Parliament.
At the time, Mpathi’s salary was estimated at around P105, 000, leaving him as one of the country’s highest paid CEOs at the time.
In a memo authored by Forbes in a diplomatic tone, and circulated to Botash staff this week, he detailed: “With effect from close of business 31st October 2017, Mphathi has left the employ of Botswana Ash in order to pursue other business interests”. The memo further stressed that Phatshwane will be acting MD until such a time that a successor has been appointed.