Pilane moves swiftly
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Thursday September 21, 2017 11:12
Less than 24 hours after the Tuesday night verdict, the secretary general of the BMD-Pilane, Gilbert Mangole sent a letter to Ndaba Gaolathe faction to submit a proposal before their (Pilane faction NEC) meeting on Monday to discuss the issue of power sharing.
The UDC has recommended that both groups should “submit to a power sharing arrangement with the other group the precise terms of which will be discussed and agreed with the other group under the oversight and supervision of the UDC”. Reading the verdict on Tuesday night at the Oasis Motel in Tlokweng, the UDC president Duma Boko stated that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the UDC had recommended, amongst others, that both teams engage in power-sharing.
Before lunchtime yesterday, Mangole sent a letter to his counterpart in the Gaolathe faction, Dr Phenyo Butale stating that, “We are calling a meeting of the BMD NEC for Monday 25 September 2017 for the purpose of placing before it the recommendations of the UDC for their consideration and decision. We would like at that meeting for NEC to discuss any proposal your team might have for power sharing”.
He also requested that Gaolathe team should forward to them their detailed proposal on power sharing not later than 9am on Monday.
Mangole then issued a veil warning that, “should we not hear from you by the time stated above, we will assume that your team does not accept the UDC recommendation on power sharing and it is not the wish of your team to participate in any discussions concerning the proposed power sharing”. On being contacted by Mmegi, Butale said their team was still discussing the UDC verdict and it would follow the proper procedure required by the UDC.
“It is true we received their correspondence. We are supposed to write to UDC within seven days on how we view the verdict and if we are willing to participate in mediation and reconciliation. Again, every correspondence between us should be copied to the UDC since it is supposed to supervise the whole process,” Butale said.
UDC spokesperson, Moeti Mohwasa said they have not received any correspondence from BMD parties. “I cannot comment on something that we haven’t received. Both parties knows what to do,” he said.