How is BDF doing for uniform?
BAME PIET
Staff Writer
| Thursday January 24, 2008 00:00
He was responding to allegations by BDF soldiers that there was a serious shortage of boots, camouflage and overalls, to the extent that some soldiers were forced to report for duty in plain clothes.
'We are not facing any crises regarding issuing of uniforms and boots to all members of BDF including those in training,' said the army spokesperson.
'Further, there is not even one member of the BDF who has gone on duty in civilian clothes for lack of uniform. However, the only problem that we had with our suppliers was that they supplied us with sub-standard boots of low quality which have since been returned,' he responded.
Some soldiers say there was once a proposal to provide soldiers with a uniform allowance to make it easy for them to buy it whenever they needed but the idea was not well received.
Ragalase explained that contracts for the supply of uniform, including boots, are conducted by the Public Procurement and Asset disposal Board (PPADB) for all interested parties to bid.
'The BDF uniform is purchased through the department of supplies, which has the responsibility to advertise, receive and evaluate tenders following procedures laid out by PPADB,' he further said.
The soldiers had also said that in some instances they were told to wear whatever shoes they had to report for duty. The shortage is said to be serious at Sir Seretse Khama Barracks in Mogoditshane and Thebephatshwa Barracks near Molepolole. 'There was a time my boss told me to wear flipflops or phathaphatha to go to work,' claimed one soldier.