9 years after retirement, Veterinary pensioner awaits his dues
President Duma Boko’s rise to power has sparked new hope of a long-overdue pay-day for an ailing former Department of Veterinary Services employee embroiled in a bitter battle with his former employer over unpaid night allowances.
Afflicted with sugar diabetes and other non-communicable diseases, Mothobi Leeto is convinced he’s owed well over P300, 000 for the 20 years he spent on a working trip in Francistown.
Leeto joined the department in 1979 from the gold mines in South Africa, and served diligently for 36 years until his retirement in 2015.
He was stationed at the KN34 and LMU post in Nata and his duties were to build kraals wherever his supervisor sent him.
An obedient servant, the illiterate pensioner says his troubles began in October 1991 when he was sent on a working trip to the second city; he remained in Ghetto until retirement, never returning to base.
Although he was asked to work odd hours, Leeto had no complaints as he knew there was overtime and out-of-town allowances.
“I didn’t fuss much about it because I was told I could claim at anytime. I had no reason to doubt my superiors, and I generally believed they were acting in good faith,” he told this publication three years ago.
The Voice carried Leeto’s story (‘Please Help Me’ – 1 October 2021), after he came looking for help in his fight to be paid what he believes is rightfully his.
Three years since his plea was published, the Monarch native is yet to receive a single thebe.
His former bosses insist he was transferred from Nata to Francistown, while Leeto remains equally adamant the move was never made official and always meant to be temporary.
“I went on a trip on 19th October 1995 until I retired in 2015. It’s very strange that my employer, maybe in their attempts to save face, paid my transfer allowance on 12th December 2017, almost three years after my retirement,” said a disgusted Leeto.
The sickly elder took his matter to the Ombudsman, who ruled in his favour that he be paid his night allowances from 1995 to 2015.
Investigations by the Obudsman dismissed the department’s claimst that Leeto was transferred as he never received a transfer letter.
“The transfer allowance was only paid in November 2017, a scenario which explains that failure to pay the complainant his transfer allowance in 1995 at the time of the transfer shows there was never a transfer,” reads part of the analysis and conclusion from Principal Legal Investigator.
The investigator further accuses the department of negligence and causing prejudice to the complainant.
However, despite all these findings, Leeto is still to receive his money, which he expected on 30th July.
“I’m convinced they want me to die before I enjoy the fruits of my sweat. I’m diabetic and can die anytime,” he said.
“My only hope is President Duma Boko, who is known to fight for rights of the down trodden!” Leeto added with a weary, desperate sigh.
