The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) high command has agreed to keep vice president Dumelang Saleshando out of their secret deal to raise R100 million from South African business woman Bridgette Motsepe Radebe ÔÇô Sunday Standard investigations have revealed.
The UDC has asked Motsepe Radebe for R100 million, 200 000 t-shirts, branded vehicles and top South African musicians for their 2019 elections campaign. UDC spokesperson and Botswana National Front (BNF) Secretary General Moeti Mohwasa who indicated that he was representing the UDC President Duma Boko on 2nd May 2019 met Motsepe Radebe’s sidekick Malcolm X, National Union of Mineworkers President Joseph Montisetse and one Mthoko Nxumalo at Klerksdorp Mike’s kitchen where the request was relayed.
Towards the end of the meeting, Mohwasa told Malcolm X and Montisetse that, “This meeting is confidential to us and Duma Boko back home. Dumelang Saleshando should not know about it. Let’s exchange e-mails and cellphone numbers gentlemen.”
In an earlier interview, Mohwasa communicated to the Sunday Standard that they had not told Saleshando about the deal because they have no deal with Motsepe-Radebe.
“It would not be correct to say we asked for that money from Bridgette Motsepe. Yes I met my friend Joseph Montisetse, who I have known for a number of years in Klerksdorp. He was with his friends and we talked about the Botswana political landscape in general. I was in town for a wedding that was taking place the next day. He lives in Orkney, just outside Klerksdorp. So naturally I had to check on him and he suggested that we have dinner at Mike’s Kitchen. He was with two other people, one of whom I later learned was Malcolm X. In our conversation we talked about the challenges faced by the opposition in the country. I have to say that the leadership of the UDC has an obligation to talk to potential sponsors and I guess the same goes for any party. I and others in the party have and continue to talk to many people both within and outside the country. We however carry out due diligence on all who promise to assist. We do not take money from anyone and as far as I know we are not expecting any money from Bridgette Motsepe. We haven’t even made any follow up meeting therefore to suggest that we are expecting branded vehicles and top South African artists is incorrect. In fact that talk of artists and t shirts was when we were talking about the manifesto launch. So since there were no foreign artist in Maun and 200 000 t-shirts, I take it that you have been answered. So we did not get any help and are not expecting help from Bridgette Motsepe. We are not even pursuing her.”
Asked if they have informed Saleshando about the deal, he said: “There is no deal as indicated above. If there was he would be aware. This was just an impromptu conversation that was and is not being perused.”
The Sunday Standard can however reveal that during the meeting, Mohwasa suggested a way to pursue the deal away from prying eyes. He told Motsepe Radebe’s henchman, “Malcolm, I will communicate with you on daily basis regarding all our public and secret meetings in Botswana towards elections. Strictly use WhatsApp for calls and messages.”
Sunday Standard investigations have further revealed that following their meeting with Mohwasa, Malcolm X and Montisetse were to meet Khama and Motsepe Radebe two weeks later at the NAC VIP Lounge, Lansaria Airport where they were to discuss among other things the new party’s coalition with the UDC and their funding. Montisetse however could not attend the meeting and instead sent an apology explaining that he had been robbed at Sunnyside, Pretoria the previous night.
Mohwasa however denied any relationship with Khama, saying, “The UDC has no working relationship with Lt Gen Ian Khama. I am worried by your inclination to make conclusive statements. What we have said and continue to say is that the UDC is about bringing together all opposition parties where possible, to unseat the BDP. This explains why we wrote a letter to AP even after we had held our primary elections. We will talk to any political party that is interested in working with the UDC.”
Mohwasa however told the meeting in Klerksdorp that, “Ian Khama is addressing Bangwato on Saturday May 4th, about how Masisi and BDP want to kill him. Boko was in Serowe today (Thursday). Khama is influential, directly and indirectly promoting UDC through UDC events. BDP is divided between Khama and Masisi. Khama is going to secretly form his own party, but might not be named in it. UDC needs 15 seats from Bokalaka, Tswapong and Bobirwa as we only need 29 seats to unseat dictator Masisi and BDP.”
