Storm at F’town council as mayor’s teacups crack

SESUPO RANTSIMAKO

The controversial teacups that were recently bought by the Francistown City council are already showing signs of manufacturer defects, with cracks developing underneath.
The cups are said to have been recently ordered by city Mayor Sylvia Muzila for P15 000, as she said that she did not want to use cups used by previous mayors. The controversial teacups were purchased at Botswelelo Center in Thamaga, courting the ire of councilors who said cheaper cups should have been bought in Francistown.
However, almost three months after they were bought, the teacups are already showing signs of defects- with cracks developing underneath and on saucers. An inside source says the teacups started cracking in just the first weeks of their use: “It seems like these teacups are of low quality because they started to develop these cracks in their first weeks of use. I wonder what was so special about those teacups because they did not deserve to be purchased looking at their quality.”
Councilor Gaone Majere who is miffed about the purchase of the cups, told The Botswana Gazette that she long raised concerns about the cups, but the mayor felt she was unduly attacking her. “Even when I realized that the cups were cracking, I took one to Mayor and asked her if she has also realized the cracks but she took me lightly. So I am wondering why the council bought these expensive cups while the quality is questionable,” she said, calling for the person who bought the cups to be taken to task.
Commenting on condition of anonymity, another BDP councilor said that if it was true that the cups were ordered by the mayor, she should taken to task because public funds went down the drain: “We heard that the mayor is the one who ordered the purchase of the cups. So if it is true she has to be questioned about these cups because they have manufacturer defects.”
In her own defense, Muzila denied ever ordering the purchase of expensive cups, saying she only directed the purchase of cheap cups at Game Store for P130. “If they have bought expensive teacups they did that on their own accord and I will never use them as I was not involved in purchasing them. Up to now, I am yet to be given the white cups that I had requested and I wonder who is trying to tarnish my name. I have never laid eyes on those cups,” she told one publication.
Botswelelo Centre authorities did not answer the phone for comment as it continually rang unanswered, while the Francistown City Council PR Officer Joseph Wasubera was also unreachable on his mobile phone.