Klaas Motshidisi - The invincible hand behind the BNF split in 1998

BANKS NDEBELE | Thursday June 13, 2013 00:00

 

I was startled because all along I have never figured the active role Motshidisi played in the split, though I knew that to some extent he was involved with the concerned group. I only ascribed it chiefly to Mareledi Giddie (May his soul rest in peace), Billy Makuku, Patrick Kgoadi and Lemogang Ntime amonst others.

Comrade Mike mentioned that some time in 1996 he was approached by some comrades who wanted him to contest for the vice presidency again. Among those who approached him was Mokweetsi Kgosipula. Mike said he accepted. But he was later approached by yet another team that wanted him to contest for Secretary General instead. But he told them that he has already been asked to contest for vice presidency and that the team can talk to the other group about it.

The group that wanted him to contest for secretary general, was proposing that Motshidisi be the one who should take up the vice presidency. It appears the two groups never met over the matter and that meant Cde Mike contested against Motshidisi for VP in 1997 at Ledumang and triumphed. Having lost the vice presidency, Motshidisi contested again for secretary general, here too he lost against Gilson Saleshando. He did not give up.

He went on to contest the International Affairs position which he also lost. It should be noted that this was the first ever transparent BNF Central Committee elections which were conducted by Democracy Research Project. There were clear rules for protest if comrades felt there were irregularities. It would turnout that some days after the elections, some comrades who included Motshidisi who said they were 'concerned' with the conduct of the elections, approached Kenneth Koma and requested to see him with at two other people, but not Dingake. They said that they wanted to see him about the BNF elections and were also threatening a court action.

Koma listened to them and he invited Saleshando who was the secretary general then, but turned down the invitation. Then Koma roped in Motsei Rapelana who was deputy secretary general and another elder in the party.But when he mentioned to the elder that Dingake will not be attending the meeting, the elder turned down the invitation. This now created a dilemma for Koma. He was then forced to invite Dingake to the meeting, but asked him not to participate in the discussions.

The meeting was held, but surprisingly Motshidisi was not there. The concerned comrades mentioned how they did not accept the results. They said that if the elections (that were conducted by DRP) were not annulled, they will institute a court action against the party. At the end Koma asked Dingake if he had anything to say, to which he referred the meeting to the BNF constitution then and what it says about protests. He mentioned that if comrades strongly felt that they have a case, they can go ahead with the court action.

The concerned comrades were very uncooperative towards the newly elected Central Committee. Their behaviour led to their suspension from the party. Somehow along the way, they got the sympathy of Koma. At the infamous Palapye conference, the concerned comrades were housed at Motshidisi's place, even Koma. The mission to disrupt the proceedings of the conference that resulted in a chaotic situation, was also planned at Motshidisi's dwelling.  All hell broke loose and the party split.

One would want to ask what is the significance of Motshidisi's in this. Well, here it is.  Following the historic performance of the BNF in 1994, where it achieved about 37 percent of the popular vote and 13 out of a total of 40 seats in parliament, many people believed that the party was destined to wrestle power from the BDP in 1999.To some the prospect of being in leadership became so ripe.

Then Dingake was the vice president after he was elected in 1993. For Motshidisi believed that since Koma was now old and his vision almost dim, being a vice president of the party would put him in an opportune position to assume the presidency of the party and the country if something happened to Koma. He was the invisible hand behind the concerned group. It is evident from his participation at Ledumang Congress that he wanted to be in the central committee by all means by contesting three positions, which he inevitably lost. That's what broke the camels back. A piece of history for those who have misconceptions about the BNF split of 1998.