Deputy Sheriffs strip Botswana Railways bare
Just a few weeks before Botswana Railways (BR) is expected to present a supposedly positive accounts report to the Office of the President, it has emerged that the national rail carrier is sinking even deeper into a financial crisis.
So far, four different teams of Deputy Sheriffs are reportedly circling the parastatal’s assets like vultures on a carcass, as court ordered seizures pile up.
Recent shakeups in leadership, including the appointment of two new boards in less than three months, and a new General Manager following the death of his predecessor, have done little to steady the troubled organization.
In the latest blow, the Court of Appeal has ordered BR to pay an estimated P15 million to Excess Petroleum (Pty) Ltd, emanating from a P7.8million unsettled debt for over a decade, plus 10% annual interest rate. This is in addition to other debts that have had Deputy Sheriffs camped outside the BR headquarters in Mahalapye to enforce court orders.
BR had contracted Excess Petroleum (Pty) Ltd to supply fuel. Some of the Directors of Excess Petroleum include former Minister and Ambassador Tebelelo Seretse, businessman Uenan Galeyo Bakwena, Masego Mooketsi and others who passed away during the protracted legal battle.
The Voice is reliably informed that Bakwena, lost his assets to creditors due to the BR’s failure to settle the debt. Sometime in 2021, his lodge in Mookane was auctioned, and was further humiliated in March this year when his ploughing field was also auctioned. Bakwena was a headman of records in Mookane.
Former Minister Tebelelo Seretse confirmed that she is one of the directors in the company but that she is not authorized to speak to the media on behalf of the company before referring our enquiries to Bakwena.
Reached for comment, Bakwena was reluctant to relive the ordeal, but confirmed that BR has been ordered to pay P7.8 million with 10% interest per annum from 2010 making it double the amount.
He confirmed that BR somersaulted on paying the debt after lengthy negotiations that resulted in a trial at the High Court.
“The Judge ruled in our favour and referred the matter to the Registrar for unbundling of the payments, but to our surprise the Registrar started a new trial that also delayed the payment further. The Registrar was to issue her final decision in November 2019, but postponed to February 2020. Then the Covid-19 pandemic came and three years passed without the final decision,” he said.
Our efforts to get a comment from minister of Transport and Infrastructure Noah Salakae were futile as his phone was off air throughout the day.
Early this year, President Advocate Duma Boko listed BR, Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB), Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) and Air Botswana among parastatals that must return to profitability before the end of the year.
There has been a flurry of staff reshuffles, new appointments, and dismissals at the four SOEs in the last four months.
