Rari, Maitshoko set for showdown at BOSETU elective congress
Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday August 13, 2024 08:56
Rari is aligned to a lobby group led by the union president, Winston Radikolo, who is seeking a third successive term, having first ascended to the position at the 2017 elective congress. Radikolo’s camp is made up of trade union stalwarts such as former publicity secretary, Mogomotsi Motshegwa, who will also be seeking a third consecutive term as vice president.
Most of the people in Radikolo’s camp enjoy incumbency. Maitshoko is in Justice Bailelwang’s lobby group. Bailelwang wants to unseat Radikolo from his presidential role. His team is also made-up of familiar faces in trade unionism such as Charles Tsiane, who is contesting for the position of vice president and Oreeditse Nyatso, who is the incumbent publicity secretary. Bailelwang and his team have promised that if voted into power, they will ensure that there is a proper succession plan and young leaders will be trained as well as capacitated to run the different structures of the union. There have been concerns that some executive members have overstayed in their positions because there is no solid succession plan. Bailelwang’s lobby group has also pledged to make key decisions collaboratively with the general membership. The contest for the position of SG will be of great interest at the elective congress. This is because the SG is considered the heartbeat and chief administrator of the union. Maitshoko faces an uphill battle in his quest to unseat Rari, who is seeking a historic fifth term. Rari has been the heartbeat and face of the BOSETU for over 10 years.
On the other hand, Maitshoko is not new to contesting for union positions. He is the former BOSETU publicity secretary and contested the position of deputy SG at the 2021 elective congress but lost. He first served in the national executive as an additional member, but he was later assigned to fill in the void left by the Secretary for Secondary sector, and later the publicity secretary, respectively on interim basis. At the 2017 elective congress, he won the elections for the publicity portfolio convincingly. He is partly credited for helping improve the image of BOSETU as a labour organisation. According to Maitshoko, teachers have lost confidence in labour movements in the country and as the SG, he wants to take the lead in reclaiming that, along with members of his team. “Our lobby group believes that the union has veered off its mandate. Structures have collapsed and some of them cannot conduct statutory meetings. Only the leadership has been visible and active. Decisions are taken without the input of the ordinary membership,” he said in an interview this week. Maitshoko claims that some ordinary members have at times defied the position of the National Executive Committee (NATEX) because they are often not consulted before decisions are taken. “A case in point is when some members defied the position of the leadership that they should not go for marking during a standoff with the Botswana Examination Council (BEC). The members defied the leadership because they were not fully consulted before the decision to boycott marking was taken,” he said.
Despite Maitshoko's claims, Rari and members of his team have been credited for growing the membership of the union significantly. In fact, their campaign has been centred around the growth that the union has experienced over the last decade in terms of membership and asserts accumulated, as well as the trickle-down effect they have had on the general membership. When Rari took over as SG in 2011, the union membership was close to 7, 000 and now it boasts about 22, 000 members. His voice as the SG of the union has also remained consistently high, advocating for members. Under his leadership, BOSETU has also built robust industrial relations structures of the union, both politically and administratively that handles members’ grievances at the workplace. The union’s business wing has also been doing very well under Rari’s watch for some time. “These achievements are indicative that BOSETU is a union that is experiencing phenomenal growth under my steward as the SG, being the chief administrator and the chief political shop steward of the union. This growth can only be attributed to a distinguished leadership of the movement bearing in mind that the union was formed only in 1987, being one of the youngest unions in Botswana,” Rari said in recent interview.
On the flipside, there is a possibility that Rari might face pure resistance from some union members. He has been under pressure from some members who want him to step down because they believe he has overstayed. Rari has, however, proved that he is a very resilient character. At the 2021 elective congress, he shrugged off suggestions that he has overstayed and defended his position compellingly against Innocent Mannathoko.
Other members of Radikolo’s lobby group are Botshelo Maruatona, vice secretary-general; Samuel Aboneng, national treasurer; Mmoloki Bopa, national organising secretary; Karabo Rampha, secretary for research education and training; Tuelo Kebenne, publicity secretary; Hildah Keitumetse, secretary for gender affairs; Monica Legwale, secretary for occupational health and safety; secretary for pre-primary and primary sector; Thomas Kajuu, secretary for secondary education; Magdeline Kedikilwe, secretary for tertiary sector; Ndiyapo Modimo, secretary for sports and culture. Additional members: Bontle Monnane and Letsweletse Setlhodi. Bailelwang’s lobby group includes Isaac Mogorosi, vice secretary-general; Moagi Digwa, national treasurer; Godiraone Kootshabe, national organising secretary; Mothusi Tshukudi, secretary for research education and training; Olefile Letsholo, secretary for gender affairs; Mompati Peolwane, secretary for occupational health and safety; Nkau Mogate, secretary for sports and culture; secretary for tertiary sector; Moffat Bagani, secretary for pre-primary and primary sector; Waunja Likius, secretary for secondary sector. Morwesi Ramaloko and Letlhogonolo Palalani are additional members.