BOPEU rejects PAC testimony on alleged hidden supplies, saying public offices and courts remain crippled by shortages of paper, toner and ink.
GAZETTE REPORTER
Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) has strongly rejected claims made before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) suggesting that government offices were deliberately withholding paper and toner supplies, describing the allegations as misleading and damaging to parliamentary oversight processes.
BOPEU REJECTS PAC TESTIMONY CLAIMS
The union’s General Secretary, Ketlhapeleng Karabo, said statements attributed to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, Jimmy Opelo, during a recent PAC hearing did not reflect operational realities on the ground.
“BOPEU is deeply concerned by statements made by the Permanent Secretary… Parliamentary oversight processes are built on the principles of truth, accountability, and transparency,” Karabo said, warning that any deviation risks eroding public trust in state institutions.
“NO HIDDEN SUPPLIES,” UNION INSISTS
BOPEU dismissed suggestions that the Broadhurst Labour Office was stockpiling paper and toner while other offices experienced shortages. Following the PAC hearing, the union conducted what it described as an urgent verification visit to the facility.
“What we found was markedly different from what was presented,” Karabo said. “There were no hidden supplies of paper or toner at the office.”
He added that officers were instead struggling to maintain basic operations and had to borrow toner from another department in order to continue providing services.
SERVICE DELIVERY UNDER STRAIN
According to BOPEU, the Broadhurst Labour Office—responsible for servicing the wider Gaborone area—is operating under severe resource constraints, including limited access to consumables and reliance on a small office printer.
“These shortages have a direct impact on service delivery and place unnecessary strain on officers who are already working under challenging conditions,” the union said.
WIDER PUBLIC SECTOR SHORTAGES
The revelations come amid growing reports of similar shortages in other public institutions, including courts across Botswana, where essential supplies such as paper, toner and ink cartridges are reportedly in short supply. The situation has prompted the Law Society of Botswana to appeal for donations to support court operations.
Some court divisions are said to have scaled back printing and documentation activities, raising concerns about delays in case processing and worsening backlogs.
UNION DENIES CONSULTATION ON MERGER PLAN
BOPEU also rejected claims that it was consulted on the proposed merger between the Botswana National Productivity Centre (BNPC) and the Institute of Development Management (IDM), insisting that no formal engagement took place.
“At no stage was the Union formally engaged on the matter, nor were its views sought before the claim was presented to the Public Accounts Committee,” Karabo said.
He stressed that consultation is a legal requirement in labour relations, not a discretionary practice extended at will.
“Consultation is not a favour extended to workers and their representatives; it is a fundamental pillar of sound labour relations,” he said.
CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
BOPEU has since urged PAC chairperson Taolo Lucas to require a public apology from Opelo, arguing that corrective action is necessary to restore credibility in the oversight process.