GCC mayor buys P546,000 office furniture, refuses to pay

Gaborone City Council (GCC) is facing a payment dispute with Kenmart Investments (Pty) Ltd over P546,000 worth of furniture supplied to the Office of the Mayor, Oarabile Motlaleng, with P442,203.72 still outstanding.

Correspondence seen by this publication shows that the supplier is demanding payment and has warned that it could institute recovery proceedings against the council if the outstanding debt is not settled.

The transaction is now clouded by procedural irregularities that GCC itself has acknowledged. In a savingram dated October 5, 2026, the council informed the acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Tshepo Kebakile, that an internal investigation had found the council responsible for the failures surrounding the procurement.

“The findings of the investigation clarify that the responsibility for the procedural oversights lies entirely with the Council itself,” the memorandum states.

The Acting Town Clerk further said Kenmart had fulfilled the work requested by council officials and should not be held responsible for the administrative failures.

“The supplier, Kenmart (Pty) Ltd, is absolved, as they have, with or without knowledge, successfully completed the works as requested, guided and aided by our own officials,” the savingram reads.

GCC acknowledged that it remained contractually obligated to settle the bill.

“Because the Council is not absolved of its contractual obligations, it is necessary that we effect payment as levied,” the savingram states.

However, the council said the amount exceeded the financial approval threshold of the office, prompting it to seek authorisation from the Permanent Secretary to process the payment.

“Consequently, I respectfully request your authorization to process this payment so that we may bring this commercial obligation to an immediate conclusion,” the savingram, signed by the Acting Town Clerk, states.

The memorandum also called for a formal investigation into the conduct of council officials, raising questions about how the procurement was handled and whether the required administrative procedures had been followed.

“Furthermore, in light of the clear procedural non-compliance demonstrated by our officials during this exercise, I request that your office institute a formal commission to investigate the incident as a matter of urgency,” it states.

The proposed commission would seek to establish accountability and prevent similar administrative failures in future.

Meanwhile, correspondence from Kenmart’s lawyers, Mbewe Legal Practice, indicates that efforts to resolve the dispute through administrative channels have been ongoing for several months.

The lawyers’ letter states that written follow-ups were escalated to the Permanent Secretary on August 13 and to the minister on August 21. On August 27, Kebakale reportedly acknowledged the matter and undertook to look into it.

A meeting with the Acting Town Clerk followed in late August, according to the letter. The lawyers subsequently wrote to the minister on September 8, copying the mayor and the Permanent Secretary. They also state that the Town Clerk engaged the Permanent Secretary on September 28.

Despite these engagements, the supplier’s lawyers have warned that the council must settle the outstanding amount or provide a detailed, documented explanation for any portion it disputes.

“Any undisputed portion shall remain payable within the stipulated period,” the lawyers state.

They further argue that a denial of liability or a promise to investigate would not extinguish the supplier’s rights.

“Failure to discharge the outstanding indebtedness within the stipulated period will result in this matter being escalated for the institution of recovery proceedings against Gaborone City Council,” the letter states.