The Directorate of Intelligence Service (DIS) has been assigned to investigate secret graves where Botswana Railways wagons were allegedly buried in a bid to hide evidence of train derailments.
It is understood that Botswana Railways Management spent a lot of money in hiring a private company to bury wagons that were damaged during a derailment in Debete more than ten years ago. In another incident in 1992 thirteen damaged wagons were allegedly buried in Shashe together with soda spill after a soda train hauling 28 wagons was derailed.
The chairperson of Botswana Railways Amalgamated Workers Union (BRAWU), Gaebepe Molaudi, told Sunday Standard that “recently we were told that there were wagons that were secretly buried by BR some years ago. It is a disgrace to the organization if, indeed, BR secretly buried those wagons,” she said. Molaudi explained that some members of BRAWU accompanied DIS investigators to both Dibete and Shashe, where the wagons are allegedly buried, and the area was photographed. She said, as union, they hope that those who were involved in “such a scandal will be taken to task.”
She said their Union had asked the state to establish a Commission of Inquiry to unearth the rampant corruption at BR, adding that the right time has come.
“The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has disappointed us because we do not know what happened after they completed their investigations,” Molaudi said. “DCEC has never dragged any BR employee to court.”
She appealed to DIS for a thorough and speedy investigation so that the perpetrators can be called to account for their actions.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Communication, Mabua Mabua, explained that, “There is an ongoing investigation, I therefore, do not want to preempt the investigations,” also adding that he was not sure when the investigations would be completed.
Asked about the Commission of Inquiry, Mabua replied that “…apparently, the Ministry has appointed a committee of inquiry, which is expected to submit its findings at the end of February this year but if the findings warrant such move, then, why not?”.
He added that before a Commission of Inquiry can be appointed, there have to be some preliminary investigations first.
When contacted for comment on Friday evening, the DIS director, Isaac Kgosi, told Sunday Standard that, “Under Section 21 of the Security Act, I am not allowed to comment on any investigations that are being carried out by DIS.”
Meanwhile some former BR employees, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, “All former BR CEOs should be investigated.”
They blamed the government for not doing enough to address the rampant corruption within BR saying that the organization will collapse if there is no urgent intervention.
