A war of words has erupted between two teacher organization over deductions among members.
The Botswana Primary Teachers Association (BORETA) accuses its rival, the Botswana Primary Teachers Union (BOPRETU) for deducting money from members unlawfully.
On the other hand BOPRETU says it is not aware that it is being investigated by the police, who are saying that they are investigating a case in which some members of BOPRETU allegedly had money deducted by BOPRETU without their approval.
In a brief interview, Detective Senior Superintendent Mompati Moalusi said the investigations are still at an early stage.
Speaking to Sunday Standard, the Publicity Secretary of BOPRETU, Daphne Mogotsi, said that of late, they received shocking reports from some members throughout the country alleging that BOPRETU had been deducting money from the salaries of BOPRETU members without their knowledge.
She explained that they received reports that BOPRETU asked the affected teachers to put their complaints in black and white after which the Executive Committee resolved that the matter should be referred to the police for investigation.
Mogotsi, who was emotional about the issue, questioned how BOPRETU got the particulars of her members leading to their money being deducted from their salaries.
“It is a very scary situation and my members are fuming about the matter,” she said.
Her rival, Secretary General of BOPRETU, Mogotsi Motshego, said, “I am not aware that my organization is under police investigations but that would not warrant police investigations at all.”
He added that “what I am aware of is that there was an error in which some members of BORETU who are not our members had money deducted from their salaries and those errors were corrected”.
He added that some have already been reimbursed.
He warned BOPRETU to stop the bad tendency of de-campaigning his union as they do not owe them anything.
Motshego reveled that his union has about three hundred memberships as it was established around 2009.
He appealed to the members of BOPREATU to pay back the money that they owe the union, saying action will be taken on those who do not comply.
