By Obakeng Maje
Taung-The United Communist Democratic Party in the North West called all former Bophuthatswana employees to come and claim their money.

UCDP Deputy president Phillip Moerane said their aim is not to campaign for elections ahead of national elections that will be held on the 07 May 2014.

“While we do not hanker for the lost independence of this area, it is unfortunate that the good that was ushered in by the Bophuthatswana Government is ignored, diluted or used to the advantage of those who caused the fall of the territory disadvantaging those who lived and still live in the area” Moerane said.

UCDP said way back on 19 February 1994 in the Mmabatho Convention Centre Kgosi L M Mangope spoke strongly against the appetite developed around incorporating the territory while people were eyeing the good in it for their benefit.

He allegedly spoke against the looting of the Sefalana Employee Benefits Organisation Fund which the (1994) stood at R3 700 million, taken in round figures it was R4 Billion at the time.

According to investigations, SEBO was going to pay out R15 million in benefits.

Cosatu showed immense interest in the fund and went on to say they were satisfied with SEBO’s transparency, its management and its Africa approach to African needs.

That was in 1994 and fast-forward in 2013, COSATU’s dirty hand was found in the SEBO (BOSELE) cookie jar.

Mathilda Phiricwana, 71 from Ditshilong village near Taung shared her unhappiness of not receiving her pension money.

“I worked for 39 years at Taung Hospital but the money I received was too way low. I would be so grateful if I could get all my money” she said.

Florah Bonnetswe,74 from Veertien also shared her sentiment: “I was working at Bophuthatswana National Development Corporation(BNDC) which was later changed to NWNDC. After 20 years of service, I only received little amount of money, I tried to fought this but I failed”.

Bonnetswe said some lawyers came and said they will help them, charge them R100 per head, but from there they disappeared in thin air.

UCDP said COSATU’s investment arm Kopano ke Matla plundered millions of rands from Bosele(successor of SEBO) employee provident fund.

“The Financial Services Board (FSB) the watchdog for pension funds refers to this as “unusual and suspicious transaction and payments”. We are suprised the authorities are quite. It is for the beneficiaries of BOSELE to stand up, speak out and make a change to their lives” said Moerane.

The vociferous Vavi as Secretaey General of Cosatu was alerted to this in 2010 but never raised a finger until he was suspended last year.

This affected 400 000 former Bophuthatswana employees whose funds are in Bosele Provident Fund the successor to SEBO.

Two names are mentioned in the systematic swindling of the fund.

A lawyer who was employed by Bosele as a consultant and the other was a consultant for the fund.

R123 million rand was allegedly paid from Bosele to Kopano Coompanies over a period of three years.

The Managing Director of Kopano Employee Nasieyah Basadien benefits or her husband received R56,3 million.

Vavi kept quite after being informed of the looting.

“In 2011 Bosele has assets to the value of R787, 8 million which was spun off from the BNPF (Bophuthatswana National Provident Fund) to which all private sector employees contributed” said Moerane.

According to Moerane, Bosele is a goose that laid golden eggs.

“Are people going to sit back and continue to wallow in poverty when those who laughed at the when they worked in Bophuthatswana live luxury on for having defrauded the former BOP employees?” Asked Moerane.

“As responsible leaders in this part of the country and having sweated blood ourselves we call on the former employees of BOP not to remain sheepish but to stand up and speak out to bring about change to their lives”.

Moerane said it is possible that luxurious Cosatu Head quaters in Braamfontein was built with your money?.

“Stand up and Speak out to change this country once and for all. These people must know that living in this part of the country does not qualify us to perpetual subjugation, domination and poverty” he said.

He said North West province is the only province without air transport yet 20 years ago had two functional airports with regular flights.

“That is better life for you in North West ala ANC” concludes Moerane.-TDN
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