8 hours agoA fight over Motsamai’s name ensues

A fierce dispute has erupted within Botswana’s labor movement and public service sector over the appointment of Andrew D’Bois Motsamai as Secretary of the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSBC), igniting legal battles, accusations of defamation, and fractures among longstanding union leaders. What began as a routine voting process to fill key PSBC leadership roles has spiraled into a contest that exposes tensions around union loyalty, integrity, and governance in Botswana’s fraught labor landscape. The drama centers on the Manual Workers Union’s (MWU) outright opposition to Motsamai’s appointment, which was pushed through by the Employer party, tipping the delicate balance of power within the PSBC.

The PSBC, a critical body responsible for negotiating terms and conditions for public servants, had planned a straightforward majority vote to appoint a Secretary and Deputy Secretary. The unions had anticipated the Secretary General of the Botswana Sectors of Educators Union (BOSETU), Tobokani Rari, would secure the top post. But the Employer side surprised the unions by nominating Motsamai, a former President of the Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) who had left the presidency in 2017 and recently assumed a public officer role.

This move unsettled the Manual Workers Union, which suspected that BOPEU might side with the Employer party out of loyalty to Motsamai, complicating the voting math. The Employer and Union parties each hold seven votes, and when MWU walked out in protest, the Employer’s candidate, Motsamai, won the Secretary position with seven votes, while Rari took the Deputy Secretary role with five votes. This outcome has not only caused internal strife but also triggered a legal challenge by the Manual Workers Union over the legitimacy of the voting process, now pending before Botswana’s High Court.

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At the heart of the controversy is a bitter personal rift between two veteran union figures: Johnson Motshwarakgole, a consultant with MWU, and Andrew Motsamai. Motshwarakgole publicly challenged Motsamai’s appointment, accusing him of lacking integrity and alleging unresolved financial improprieties tied to his tenure at BOPEU. These claims, made during a press conference and in court affidavits, have provoked Motsamai to threaten defamation litigation against Motshwarakgole and MWU, escalating the dispute beyond internal union politics into a highly charged legal confrontation.

Legal representatives for Motsamai, through Otto Itumeleng Law Chambers, assert that investigations by the Botswana Police cleared Motsamai of any wrongdoing concerning financial matters linked to BOPEU’s commercial activities. A police report dated August 19, 2022, confirmed that Motsamai was never a subject of an investigation. They argue that Motshwarakgole’s allegations are baseless and defamatory, demanding a retraction of the statements.

Yet, Motshwarakgole’s legal counsel, Charles Colombia Consultancy, rejects these demands, asserting that the contested comments were made in good faith within the context of ongoing judicial proceedings and public interest debate on governance and accountability. While Motsamai insists on mutual respect despite the acrimony, the unfolding legal battle highlights deeper fractures within Botswana’s trade union movement. Six other trade unions have rallied to support Motsamai’s appointment, underscoring the divide between MWU and the broader union community.

Meanwhile, Tobokani Rari, the deputy secretary, has distanced himself from the turmoil, reportedly emphasizing that failing to secure the top post should not derail the “people’s project” of the PSBC, which remains vital for public servants eager for the council to resume its critical bargaining functions. The Public Service Bargaining Council itself has been a focal point of labor unrest and negotiation paralysis in Botswana. Public servants have long awaited the council’s resumption to address issues of wages, working conditions, and welfare.

The current legal battles over leadership appointments threaten to delay the council’s work further, exacerbating tensions between government employers and unions already strained by Botswana’s complex labor relations environment. This episode also reflects the broader challenges faced by Botswana’s trade unions, which have historically played a pivotal role in advocating for workers’ rights but often grapple with internal dissent, leadership disputes, and legal hurdles. The Manual Workers Union’s move to seek an urgent court order to invalidate the appointment process is part of a pattern of legal recourse increasingly used by unions to settle disputes, highlighting the judiciary’s growing role in labor relations in Botswana.

The backdrop to this conflict includes ongoing scrutiny of union governance and accountability, themes emphasized by Motshwarakgole’s public statements. These issues resonate beyond the immediate players, touching on the credibility and effectiveness of Botswana’s labor institutions at a time when the country is undergoing significant legal reforms in employment and labor relations under new legislation aligning with international standards. As legal missives continue to fly between the parties, the outcome of this dispute will likely set important precedents for how union leadership battles are managed and contested in Botswana.

More broadly, it may influence the future functioning and stability of the Public Service Bargaining Council, a key institution for protecting public sector workers’ rights in Botswana’s evolving labor landscape. For now, the eyes of Botswana’s labor movement and public service sector remain fixed on the courts as they await resolution. Whether the legal process will heal the rift or deepen divisions remains to be seen, but the fight over Motsamai’s name and legacy has already exposed the fragile balance of power and trust within Botswana’s labor unions and public service governance. The repercussions of this battle will ripple through the sector, shaping the future of collective bargaining and labor relations in Botswana for years to come.

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