Magosi survives PAC grilling
As expected, the Monday showdown between the 61st Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Director General of Intelligence and Security, Brigadier Peter Magosi, was intense.
A barrage of questions were fired at the spy boss, who expertly deflected them, giving very little away in the heated exchange, his answers hanging heavy in the air.
As an opener, Magosi was asked why the controversial Tautona Lodge was acquired in the first place.
His explanation that the lodge was bought in 2021 for operational purposes in a P58 million purchase by the DIS on behalf of government, led to an explosion of follow-up enquiries.
Chaos ensued. The focus was not supposed to be on the price paid to former Minister of Agriculture, Christian de Graaf but rather why the lodge was acquired.
Magosi explained land-grabbing was common around the Gantsi township where the Lodge is located. Indeed, like many villages along Botswana’s border, Gantsi is surrounded by ‘white-owned farms’, making it expensive or even impossible to expand the village.
The spy chief noted that in Kgatleng, Tuli Block, Borolong, Kgalagadi South, and just a few kilometers south of Gaborone, there are properties built along the borderline, exposing the country to security threats such as smuggling of substances and live animals, as well as other criminal activities. “Patrolling of these areas by security agencies is almost impossible,” he said, adding the problem has been ongoing for decades.
Like a suspect who found an unprepared team of investigators demanding instant answers to questions they’ve held for close to five years, Magosi left Room 62 of Annex II with a broad smile. He had survived three hours of interrogation, accusations, and even suspicions of being a criminal. In fact, Magosi was the equivalent of a discharged and acquitted man as a result of a disorganised prosecution.
A former MP for the area confirmed to The Voice exchange of land ownership was rife around Gantsi. “It should be looked into urgently,” he urged.
Meanwhile, it emerged the 4,000 hectare Farm continues to operate as a lodge without the knowledge of the Accountant General. It was also revealed the farm does not appear in government registry of assets and is home to several species of wild animals and cattle which have not been accounted for anywhere.
Further revelations included the business operations of Tautona Lodge/Farm have never been audited; that the DG does not know how many guests the lodge has hosted since it was taken over by the DIS and its profits could be going into someone’s pockets.
Furthermore, the DG warned that his officers are disgruntled, predicting there will be a lot of court cases against the government linked to their working conditions. He said many of them have approached the courts demanding compensation for their engagements but the government has not done enough to resolve the situation amicably.
