An unnamed former Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, who is still a member of parliament, is said to be one of the beneficiaries of the corruption at the Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC).
“We hear a lot of things, a lot of allegations about what is happening in that ministry and, in fact, some of it affecting former Ministers of that Ministry. It is also alleged Madam Speaker, that one of the former ministers bought some goats and the payment transactions are nowhere to be found. Therefore, these are some of the things which need to be investigated because if an investigation is instituted, such a minister, who knows himself, who is here – a former minister who is here, will explain how he bought those goats, how he paid for them and so on and so forth.
So that is why I am saying an investigation is very, very important and this house must agree with Honourable Moswaane that there are a lot of things that are happening in that department that need to be investigated… E bile o tlhabiwa ke ditlhong o ntebile,” said Francistown South MP, Wynter Mmolotsi when contributing to a motion by Francistown West MP, Ignatius Moswaane who wants BNYC investigated for corruption.
As the Leader of the House, Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi, would indicate minutes later when he interjected, this was a little too much detail as to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind whom Mmolotsi was talking about. He asked the MP to withdraw and although the MP did finally cave in to this demand, the former minister in question will from now be associated with the rot that is said to be eating away at BNYC. When tabling the motion, Moswaaane, who came very well-armed with documentary evidence, told the house that in one extreme instance of uncommon extravagance sponsored by the taxpayer, BNYC funds were used to buy 10 men’s suits at a cost of P57 000.
The Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Edwin Batshu, couldn’t believe his ears and asked Moswaane to reveal the names of people whom the suits were bought for.
“I won’t reveal the names of the people who bought the suits; I can only say that they are at the helm of BNYC. The leadership was buying for itself. I know that according to procedure, even the minister ÔÇô or myself as an MP, can be bought suits,” Moswaane responded.
The MP didn’t indicate time frame in his presentation and so it would be hard to know which executive director he was referring to when he spoke about a suspect claim that led to some startling discovery. He read from one of the documents he had in front of him: “… an invoice was once sent to BNYC for payment of providing training upon making a follow up on what training the person who answered the telephone was an employee of the BNYC Executive Director’s Samsung shop at Rail Park.”
