Orbituary: Comrade Pule Ramaabya

| Friday July 30, 2010 00:00

Ramaabya then was a member of Botswana Primary Teachers Association (BOPRITA) and was in its leadership.We interacted numerous times in national meetings and workshops while I represented Botswana Federation of Secondary School Teachers (BOFESETE) and now Botswana Secondary School Teachers Union (BOSETU). While Comrade Ramaabya was a member of BOPRITA, now BOPRITU, he was also a member of Botswana Teachers Union (BTU). He often made jokes about his dual membership and would castigate his colleagues from BTU that they abused his resources. BOPRITA broke away from BTU in the late 1980s in what was known as  Job Evaluation Unsatisfied Teachers (JEUT). Most of the break-away members never surrendered BTU membership and this explains why it was easy for comrade Ramaabya to go back to his roots.

Union politics, just like party politics, are dirty and extremely demanding. Comrade Pule survived the trials and tribulations characteristic in this institution. Our comradeship further blossomed when he moved over to BTU and ultimately assumed the Vice Presidency post.

BTU and BOSETU had numerous meetings with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development and Teaching Service Management (TSM) where sparks would naturally fly. Ramaabya did not only humble me several times on my newspaper writings and radio interviews, but came to my defence when daggers and all war artillery was directed at me by the Ministry of Education and TSM (my previous employer). The ministry and its department did not take kindly to my media contributions (both electronic and print) which called for an improvement of teachers' working and living conditions. Pule would steal the show from my BOSETU colleagues and defend my media work so voraciously and fearlessly.

I was the Publicity Secretary then and Ramaabya made it clear that I was sent by the unions to contribute to the media and that they should not dare touch me. I would leave the meetings with my chest out enjoying the comrade's protection. In fact, he came to my defence more often than my own colleagues and he would later relish on  it. He saved my skin so passionately and I wish I could have saved his life if there was a way out! But God is almighty.

But his defence on me always came with a price tag because any collective union assignment that needed some writing or publicity, he would readily volunteer me.

A concluding statement that was later used at the High Court recently on the de-recognition of the five public sector unions is a case in point. The statement was later signed by the five public sector unions and Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) confirming the latter's position that it was de-recognising the unions.Ramaabya had volunteered me into the drafting team. The unions won the case.

When the Minister of Education and Skills Development, Ms Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi addressed teachers in December 2009 at Tlotlo conference centre in Gaborone, Ramaabya, then BTU Vice President, cautioned the unions that if they are not careful, the Minister will run away with their heads as she may not deliver on her promises! The Minister was shrewd in her address and she had told the teacher unions that the President Seretse Khama Ian Khama has given them six months to deliver, or else they will have to catch the next bus back home! The Minister had then vowed that she will not be amongst the meandering queue at the bus rank for the Serowe-bound buses because she was going to deliver.

The deadline has since passed in April and there is nothing to show as teachers' problems remain unresolved like accommodation, scarce skills, levels of operation, low morale, etc! The unions are still frantically chasing the Minister unfulfilled promises and someone must be laughing at the unions as Ramaabya's caution was taken lightly! Comrade, you and Zambian prophet Ngombe were right- and it hurts to think of it now!

During his campaign trail for the BTU Presidency, which started in earnest a year or two ago, Ramaabya enlisted the support of BOSETU strategic leadership. He wanted BTU Presidency mainly because he wanted to unite all teacher unions, and BOSETU was key to this unity, he declared.

After winning the BTU Presidency, he continued with his campaign to unite the teaching fraternity. But he took offence of some unions which he felt wanted to unite teacher organisations for the wrong reasons. It is a serious challenge to the current BTU leadership on how they will continue with unity initiatives. The greatest send off to Ramaabya would be a united teacher unions in Botswana.  Comrade Ramaabya employed bare knuckle fighting tactics when he was rubbed the wrong way and he would unapologetically hit back.  All in all, he just enjoyed his positions and was content to be addressed as Mr President, My Honourable Chairperson, etc for the BTU and BOTUSAFE positions he respectively held.  Prior to meetings, which are at times controversial and difficult to manage, he would round up strategic colleagues and ask for their views so that he is clear with his position when the meetings commenced.

On the other social front, I would meet the comrade over the weekend where we would socialise and exchange pleasantries.

As expected, we would mainly talk union politics and soccer. We also met at different soccer stadia for the premier league games where Ramaabya 'Malombo' was a former Township Rollers player and  now supporter, and I ,Tafic supporter.   The last time we met was a week before his demise when he took me to task about my no shows at Sunday soccer where we played in different teams, him City Rollers and I, Bophose.

'Lo tloo di makalla!' -was an expression he popularised after the circumcision campaigns a year or two back. He would jokingly start his meetings with this expression and said one tribal leader had informed his subjects at a kgotla meeting that those from the circumcision rituals are going to spring surprises as they will be somehow different!

In all these interactions, comrade Ramaabya always had ceaseless humorous arrogance, which was all laid bare at his funeral. Ramaabya is not only lost to his family but also to BTU, labour movement, the education system, Sunday social football, business community and the nation at large. You did your best comrade. Rest in peace comrade.

Justin C Hunyepa