- says she was denied access to BOPEU offices by bouncers
- I will not allow them to destroy the union – Mogwera
MPHO MATSHIDISO
Masego Mogwera is considering suing Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) president, Olefile Fast Monakwe and his executive committee for contempt of court after she and secretary-general Topias Marenga were reinstated into the leadership of union by the High Court last week.
The ruling by the High Court to nullify Monakwe’s presidency also meant that first deputy president, Donald Mokgwe, secretary-general Rash Sedimo, his deputy Zibani Philemon would have to also vacate office immediately.
“The judgement means I have to return to the office,” she told The Botswana Gazette on Tuesday. “Upon arrival at the office, we were met by bouncers who denied us entry into the BOPEU offices.”
Mogwera questioned why Monakwe and his executive committee would resort to dealing with the matter in that manner rather than appealing the judgement.
“They lost in court and if you not happy with the outcome of the judgement, you can always appeal. We are now considering to go back to court and file for contempt of court. We believe that their plan is to buy time so that this thing drags until we go into 2021, which is the year for our elective congress.”
“We do understand they have already started going around the country campaigning but we are not going to allow that to happen. There is a lot of unlawful things that they have done when they were in the office and we are going to put all of that to an end,” charged Mogwera.
Attempts for comment to verify Mogwera’s claims proved futile as Secretary General Sedimo’s mobile line rang unanswered on Tuesday afternoon.