New broom at BPOPF as Mantswe takes over
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For the first time in the history of its existence, the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF) has found itself in a calamity of controversy and legal battles, some apportion the blame to the controversial approval by the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA), for the Public Pension Fund to self-administer.
Some in the pension industry are pointing to the leadership and guidance of the Pension Fund CEO Ms Boitumelo Molefe, who has not found progress and stability since she took reins of the Fund in July 2015, the CEO believes she is fighting a good course and the BPOPF will stabilize with time.
Last week may have been yet another one of a disappointing week for the CEO, as her alleged ally and supporter Mr Tobokani Rari was removed by vote, from his interim position of Board Chairman of the BPOPF to make way for Mr Solomon Mantswe. Mr Rari who is a Member Trustee and also Secretary General of Botswana Federation of Public Private and Parastatal Sector Unions (BOFEPUSO), took a temporary seating on the Board Chairmanship following the ousting of Permanent Secretary to the President, Carter Morupisi as Chairman, amid allegations of conflict of interest and corruption.
This was a celebrated development by Ms Molefe and her allies as the CEO believed she had dodged a bullet of being relieved of her duties by the former Chairman. However, sources state that things may not be going as planned for her looking at the recent development of the voting of the Board of Trustees to elect a substantive Board Chairperson.
Out of a total of ten (10), only three (3) Board Members, including Ms Molefe, voted in a vain attempt to substantiate Mr Rari’s appointment as Chairperson. With BPOPF current woes, the biggest one being the P400 million legal battle it has spearheaded against one of the Pension Fund’s investment manager, Capital Management Botswana (CMB); this may mean that the majority of the Board would like to take on a different approach in dealing with and coming up with solutions for the Fund matters.
The newly appointed Chairperson, Mr Solomon Mantswe, has been a BPOPF Trustee since April 2013 and has also held the position of Communications Committee Chairperson of the Pension Fund to date. He is also the Director of Departmental Management Services since 2012. All eyes are on the man with the hope that he may steer the decision making of the Board to a more productive and less confrontational manner; for the betterment of the Fund which is greatly needed at the moment.
In addition to its legal issues, the BPOPF has also found itself in dire need of rescue as its administration problems have caused the Fund to be unable to declare returns for its members for a period of two (2) years since 2016, thus neglecting its administrative duty to its Members as required by regulation. This has resulted in Members not being provided with their Benefit Statements in the two years.
Something which experts in the field wonder why the Regulator, NBFIRA, has not intervened urgently to order an investigative audit by skilled consultants, to assist identify the problems so that they may be rectified and progress be made. In April 2018 Ms Molefe stated that they have had challenges with the Fund’s data which has resulted in their inability to declare returns or interest rates for its Members.
She had also made claims to the effect that the Fund’s Actuaries have uncovered a maladministration amounting to P1.5 billion, of funds lost through Pensioner ghost accounts by the Fund’s former administrator Alexander Forbes. Ms Molefe is however yet to substantiate these claims. This has however, raised the question of authenticity of the maladministration claims, especially that it took a whole two years for the CEO’s office to disclose such implicating information.
This was also following an audited and sequential handover between herself and the former Administrator, Alexander Forbes Financial Services, of which during the process the CEO never cried foul. Alexander Forbes had held the administration and actuarial duties of the Pension Fund for a period of fifteen (15) years from 2001, a period of which was free of administrative scandals.
The remaining question on the matter is, albeit the allegations, if indeed there is P1.5 billion missing from the Fund’s pensioners’ account, where has the money gone and who took it. And this is something which can only be established by an independent audit of affairs on the administration of the civil servants’ Pension Fund. Currently BPOPF Members do not have a clue how much they have saved in the Fund since March 2016 as they have not been given their Pension Fund Statements for two years.
The Fund’s Secretariat cannot confirm how much is in each individual Member’s account in the Fund. And those leaving the Fund due to retirement, retrenchment, death, resignation or dismissal are paid their dues on assumed values. Some going for months on end without any payment of their benefits or explanation for lack of. Another matter that begs the question; for how long will this status of affairs in the Pension Fund continue at the detriment of the Members? BPOPF is expected to address a media conference next week to deal with developing issues.
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Mascom, Letshego partner to deliver the MyZaka instant loan
Letshego Botswana has recently partnered with Mascom to launch the Mascom MyZaka Instant Loan, a customer focused mobile money microloan service designed to provide customers with swift and convenient access to funds, driven by the underlying theme of “Ithuse” meaning “help yourself”
The loan is said to have been developed through a partnership driven by a deep customer focus with the key objectives of access, convenience and flexible financial support to customers of Letshego Botswana and Mascom through instantly disbursed short-term loans from P50 to P1 500 over the period of one month.
Letshego’s head of transformation, Molebogeng Malomo highlighted that working through agile methodologies, the partnership was able to develop and be released as what they call a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or solution. “In keeping up with the spirit of design thinking and agile methodologies, the experiences and viewpoints of both Letshego Botswana and Mascom’s customers will be valuable to inform further enhancements to the Mascom MyZaka solution,” he said.
He further noted that the partnership and the development of the MyZaka instant loan will provide both the organizations to diversify their offering and customer base, while also offering the customer more choices and flexibility to initiate and be in control of their loan requests through the self-service mobile based application.
Mascom’s Chief Executive Officer, Dzene Makhwade-Seboni also alluded that their origins, priorities and initiatives are firmly rooted in Botswana and in the success of all Batswana, and that their strategy and intent is supported by embracing innovative problem-solving.
“The speed with which Letshego has grown over the years gives us confidence that we have partnered with the right service provider. Their expertise and most of all, innovation, a value we both share, will be beneficial to MyZaka Mobile Money for growth and for the convenience of our subscribers,” she concluded.
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DCEC granted warrant to arrest Khama twins
The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has been granted permission to apprehend the former Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Tshekedi Khama, and his twin brother Anthony Khama.
Information gathered by this publication suggests that the DCEC is actively searching for the Khama brothers, this is in connection with events that transpired whilst Tshekedi was Minister of Environment. The duo is currently in exile in South Africa together with their elder brother, and former President Lt Gen Ian Khama.
Approximately two weeks ago, the corruption-busting agency discreetly filed for an arrest warrant that was approved by the Broadhurst Magistrate Court for the two to be taken into custody, according to a highly placed source within the government enclave.
DCEC is also said to have filed an affidavit signed by a high-ranking officer known to this publication. Reports indicate that after being presented with details of the case, the Broadhurst magistrate issued the agency an arrest warrant.
It is also believed that the agency has been conducting extensive investigations into the supposed suspects for quite some time. Furthermore, Weekend Post has it on good word that the DCEC has been looking for methods to summon the two for questioning but has been unsuccessful.
According to unconfirmed reports, DCEC met with attorney Victor Ramalepa, who refused to accept the summons, saying that he is not their attorney. Furthermore, it is believed that DCEC has enlisted the assistance of the Botswana Police Service (BPS) in flagging the suspects’ names in the International Criminal Police Organisation INTERPOL.
Responding to WeekendPost enquiries, DCEC spokesperson Lentswe Motshoganetsi said, “I am not in good position to confirm or deny the allegation,” adding that such allegations may fall within the operational purview of the DCEC.
When contacted for comment, Ramalepa briefly stated that he is unaware of the purported arrest warrant. “I know nothing about the warrant and I haven’t been served with anything,” he said.
Meanwhile, former president Lt Gen Ian Khama recently issued a statement stating that DIS is intensifying the harassment and intimidation of him, family, friends and office employees.
“It is reprehensible for state officials and agencies to abuse government resources to terrorise their own citizens for personal gain,” said the former president in a statement.
He also stated that his brother TK’s staff and security were ordered to falsely implicate him. “Their desperate tactics will never work, it only serves to motivate me more to pursue regime change and free Botswana from tyranny,” he said
This comes after the corruption busting agency wants to interview the alleged suspects as they are still hiding in South Africa since last year.
Despite the hostility between government and Khama family going unabated, last month, Masisi extended an olive branch to Khama in political rally, indicating that he hopes the two of them settle their differences, of which the former responded by welcoming the gesture.
Khama further said his brother, Tshekedi, will facilitate the reconciliation of his behalf. Many have indicated that Masisi did not say what he said in good faith, and was only scoring political brownies since he was in Khama’s territory in Shoshong.
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DCEC’s Tshepo Pilane still has his mojo
Tshepo Pilane silenced his critics after being named the head of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) in May of last year and served his opponents humble pie. Many believed he would only last for a month, but almost a year later, he is still standing.
Pilane, a trained soldier whose appointment surprised both the general public and some officers within the DCEC walls, has never glanced back in his duty to steer the DCEC ship forward.
It is alleged that immediately after his appointment the man embarked on a nation-wide trip touring the DCEC offices across the country in order to confirm and reaffirm the DCEC’s mandate. Sources from inside the DCEC claim that Pilane won the hearts of many DCEC employees due to his humility and plain message; “people at the top of the DCEC will come and go but the mandate of the DCEC remains relevant and unchanged.”
Pilane was appointed the Acting DCEC Director General at a time when the organisation was undergoing turbulence through court proceedings in which the suspended Director General Tymon Katlholo had interdicted the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) from accessing the DCEC premises. At the time, the DIS had raided the DCEC offices in the absence of Katlholo claiming to be looking for high profile corruption cases allegedly held by Katlholo.
At the time Pilane was Head of the DCEC Intelligence Division holding the position of Senior Assistant Director General reporting directly to the Deputy Director General Operations Ms Priscilla Israel. Contrary to his detractors, Pilane who is a reserved and humble person by nature won the support and backing of many DCEC officers due to his unassuming nature.
In a recent questionnaire sent to the DCEC regarding Pilane’s term in office, the DCEC was resolute on its commitment towards the fight against corruption. When quizzed on allegations of rife corruption since he took over, Pilane through his Public Relations (PR) office stated that the corruption landscape in Botswana remains unchanged as the DCEC continues to receive reports on allegations of corruption with sectors such as procurement (tenders and supplies), Transport (licensing and certificates), and land (dubious allocation and collusion) still leading issues reported. This trend has been consistence in the DCEC database for more than 10 years.
When further quizzed on accusations that suggest that due to the infighting at the agency, particularly at the top management, Investigations of cases has dropped significantly the DCEC claimed ignorance to the matter, stating that they are not aware of any “infights” at the DCEC “at the top management”, further stating that, investigations of cases has increased significantly, contrary to the allegations raised. “The DCEC is currently seeking new ways of expediting the investigations in order to fast track its enforcement role,” said the DCEC Head of Public Relations Lentswe Motshoganetsi. He further stated that the DCEC is in pursuit of high profile cases involving money and assets valued over P900 million. Three companies are involved in the scandal and two cases have already been committed to court while on one, investigations are about to be completed.
When WeekendPost inquired about Pilane’s roadmap, the DCEC stated that in the past, anti-corruption interventions were reactive, particularly in dealing with national projects that involve large sums of money. It was further started that in most instances investigating such matters takes a long time and in most instances, the money looted form Government in never recovered. As a result, the DCEC has taken a deliberate stance to attach its officers from the Corruption Prevention Division to be part of the implementation of these projects before, during, and after implementation.
The DCEC cited the Economic Stimulus Programme which, although meant to grow the economy and uplift Batswana from poverty, yielded incidents of corruption and poor workmanship. To date, the DCEC is still grappling with cases as some projects were not done, or were completed with defects beyond repair. Currently the DCEC is involved at the Ministry of Education conducting project risk management in the Multiple Path Ways Program at Moeng College and Maun Senior School. This intervention will spread to other sectors of the economy as part of the DCEC’s corruption prevention strategy.
Of recent, the DCEC has been in the media for all the wrong reasons following leakage of high profile cases and allegations claiming that the executive management is at war with each other more particularly with some within the agency harbouring ambitions to dethrone Pilane from the Directorship.
Although the infighting was denied by Pilane’s Office, he acknowledged that leakage of information is a problem across Government and stated that it is a pain at the DCEC. He however stated that Staff has been cautioned against leakage of investigation information and that they have roped in the Botswana Police to assist in investigating incidents of leakage. He further stated that they have increased continuous vetting and lifestyle audits for DCEC employees in order to enforce discipline.
Pilane’s term comes to an end in May 2023 after serving the DCEC for a year on acting basis. It will be in the public interest to see who will be given the baton to continue the anti-corruption journey if Pilane’s contract is not renewed. The DCEC has seen arrival and departure of Director Generals having alternated the top seat five times in less than seven years.