A former employee of Charles Tibone’s company has dragged the company to court demanding more than P285,000 in unpaid commissions
GAZETTE REPORTER
Former Cabinet Minister and businessman Charles Tibone and his company, Motor Holdings Botswana are embroiled in a bitter pay dispute at the Industrial Court where a former employee is demanding more than P285,000 in unpaid commissions.
The case pits Tibone’s company against Nomsa Kebatlhalefe, who worked as Fleet Sales Manager at Motor Holdings Gaborone from November 2020 until her resignation in July 2024. Kebatlhalefe alleges that while her contract guaranteed a basic salary of P21,000 plus commission on departmental vehicle sales, the company repeatedly withheld her payments despite her meeting set targets.
Systematically denied commissions
According to her statement before the court, Kebatlhalefe was entitled to 0.75% of gross sales above P878,750 and 3.5% of profits above P362,250. She insists she was systematically denied commissions for February, May, June, and July 2024-amounting to P285,519.33. This compelled her to lodge a complaint with the Labour Department before escalating the matter to the Industrial Court.
“I was never told why I wasn’t being paid. This is purely greedy behavior. The commission structure was designed by the directors themselves, and I want to be paid what is due,” she told the court, adding that she eventually resigned because “the environment was no longer conducive.”
Admission by Finance Manager
Kebatlhalefe says even Motor Holdings’ own Finance Manager, Gayan Nayanapriya, admitted she was owed money and at one point advanced her P20,000, promising deductions would be made once her commissions were processed. She claims one of the managing director of the company, Badeti Tibone personally blocked the payments.
But the company, represented by Mbewe Legal Practice, has denied any wrongdoing.
Defence
In its defence, Motor Holdings insists Kebatlhalefe is not entitled to the commissions she claims, arguing that she played no role in the tender deal that saw 69 out of 74 vehicles sold during the period in question.
“The directors negotiated, secured, and closed the tender sale. The applicant’s involvement was minimal, limited only to delivering the vehicles. She cannot claim commission on sales she did not make,” the company argued in court papers.
Instead, the dealership says it offered her a “gratuitous payment” of P300 per vehicle delivered, totalling P20,700, which it insists was fair compensation for her contribution. The company further accuses her of later sending a “xenophobic and threatening” message to the finance manager, an allegation she has not addressed publicly.
The matter, chaired initially by Labour Department official Mimie Orapeleng, had concluded that Kebatlhalefe should be paid as per her contract. But with no resolution reached, the case has now advanced to the Industrial Court.