The case in which the Ministry of Education (MoE) contested the court order handed down on July 22nd by Judge Key Dingake to pay the UB students their June-July allowance amounting to P3840 was Thursday postponed to be addressed urgently before the end of August.
This was said by Key Dingake yesterday (Wednesday 12th) during the hearing of the execution of the court order at the High Court in Lobatse.
The MoE had contested two things, being the execution of the court order-that everything stops pending appeal ÔÇô and, secondly, the high court order to pay UB students.
In addressing the first issue of the execution of court order, Key Dingake advised both parties to reach a compromise as they are both financially embarrassed. The two parties then agreed to take the matter to Court of Appeal as an urgent matter, which should be addressed before the end of August.
The Court of Appeal meets twice a year and if both parties had not reached a compromise, the case would have been adjourned to January.
Dingake also said that there will be no further presentations by both parties, all afore presentations will be used by a Specials Appeals Board to pass judgment, which will be unchallenged.
This will be so because if Judge Dingake did not grant execution of order the MoE would have an indefinite window to appeal.
The MoE had contested the court order on the grounds that it did not budget for the 21 million needed to pay the UB students.
In their argument, UB had said the MoE had infringed and abused the contract binding them to the student community by terminating their allowances without their consent.
The UB Student Representative Council (SRC) Vice President, Nico Selobilwe, said they had so far managed to pay around P20 000 of the P50 000 owed to their representative, Collen Mudara, of Kanjabanga and Associates.
“Many students have not received their allowances yet as their accounts had been frozen. When MoE credits their allowance they keep pending. There are still a lot of students from far places left without accommodation; though UB has tried addressing the matter, it’s not enough,” Selobilwe said.
Meanwhile donations towards raising legal funds are continuing. The SRC Treasure, Mbaki Moiteelasilo, said the BNF Central Committee had helped them by donating P5000 towards the legal battle.
The Gaborone West North, MP contender, Maemo Bantsi, and his brother, Willy Bantsi, donated P300 while Serowe North BNF contender, Mrs. Nthebolang, donated P300.
