GCC Mayor to Address Clerk Lockout Saga

Gaborone Mayor Oarabile Motlaleng says he will address allegations that he locked out senior council officials over a disputed furniture bill nearing P1 million. Gaborone City Mayor Oarabile Motlaleng has expressed shock at reports surrounding the alleged lockout of senior council officials from their offices but has declined to comment further, saying he intends to address the matter at a press briefing. The Mayor was responding to allegations that he on Monday locked Town Clerk Daniel Katjinotjiwa and Director of Operations Mosidi Batsalelwang out of their offices following a dispute over an unpaid furniture bill linked to his office.

Contacted for comment, Motlaleng would not be drawn into discussing the matter at this stage. “I have seen the reports, but I prefer not to comment now as I intend to call a press briefing on the matter,” he said. The alleged lockout has sparked controversy within the Gaborone City Council, with media reports indicating that a majority of councillors have condemned the Mayor’s actions.

Councillors are said to have questioned both the handling of the dispute over the furniture procurement and the decision to deny the two senior officials access to their offices. He said while council had agreed to the renovation of the Mayor’s office, there was no approval for the purchase of office furniture. “The clerk is being punished for declining to pay for furniture which does not have any documentary backing,” Sejoe said.

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Efforts to obtain comment from Town Clerk Katjinotjiwa were unsuccessful at the time of publication as his phone rang unanswered. The Mayor’s anticipated press briefing is expected to shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the dispute and the events that led to the alleged lockout.

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