Botswana Sector of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) and its Secretary General, Tobokani Rari are leaving no stone unturned, demanding that prominent Botswana Congress Party (BCP) activist, Mmaotho Segotso retract defamatory statements she posted on Facebook about them. Bakwinya Mazhani, the BOSETU
Attorneys slapped Segotso with a letter demanding a retraction and apology for Segotso’s Facebook post-dated September 5, 2024, in which she made numerous false, malicious, and defamatory statements about BOSETU, its leadership, and Mr Rari in particular. lawyer from Ramalepa
Mazhani said Segotso’s statements, widely circulated among BOSETU Facebook groups and WhatsApp groups, have caused significant reputational harm, internal discord, and operational disruptions within BOSETU. “The baseless allegations you have made are not only factually incorrect but also intended to undermine the integrity and leadership of BOSETU. “We will proceed to lay out the defamatory statements made and advise you of client’s position in respect to each statement,” said Mazhani in a letter dated 10th September 2024 addressed to Segotso.
Salary
Rari and BOSETU’s main reason for instituting lawsuit against Segotso is her claim that Rari pays himself a salary amounting to P120 000 from the union coffers, but Rari denied that as unsubstantiated claim. Mazhani said Rari has proven in the form of an advice slip from the union in which union pays him the difference between what government pays and what the Secretary General position pays.
Strike Fund
Furthermore, Mazhani said Segotso claimed that the BOSETU strike fund had P27 million when Former Union Executive Secretary Mr. Justin Hunyepa left, insinuating that funds have since been mismanaged. BOSETU and Rari’s attorney indicated that allegation is entirely false, adding that the strike fund has never held P27 million at any point in its history. “The fund was sustained through a 30% allocation of member subscriptions, which has since been redirected to meet critical financial needs, including constitutional obligations. Since the strike fund was established, there has never been any encashment on it,” the lawyer pointed out.
Mazhani added that Segotso’s claim lacks any basis in fact and falsely portrays the union’s financial management as irresponsible, which is defamatory. According to Ramalepa attorneys, Segotso’s false allegations have been widely circulated across BOSETU’s social media platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp groups. Mazhani said this extensive spread has severely damaged Rari’s reputation and that of the union’s leadership, portraying them as illegitimate and corrupt, adding that these unfounded claims undermine the trust and confidence of BOSETU members and the broader public. The spread of these falsehoods has sown discord and mistrust among BOSETU members. Many members are now questioning the legitimacy and integrity of the union’s leadership based on misinformation, wrote Mazhani.
Gagging
Meanwhile, Segotso on her Facebook Page confirmed that through his lawyers, Rari served her demanding an apology for the post she made regarding his BOSETU salary, adding that she sees the move as an attempt to gag her.
In her response to Ramalepa’s letter, Segotso demanded that the law firm furnish her with the minutes and resolution of BOSETU which resolved to sue her on the allegations that Rari attribute to. “I earnestly advise your client Mr. Rari to focus on delivering on his mandate of representing the toiling members of BOSETU and channel all union resources to towards such an objective, instead of using union funds to sue her,” Segotso wrote to Ramalepa Attorneys.