Seretse and Saleshando own joint company

The reality about the Saleshandos is that their hostility towards the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDO) ends only in politics. Money brings them together.Actually, it does not have to come as a shock when a prominent BDP figure shares a business with a popular Saleshando’s sibling.

We are not saying it is wrong but for the sake of transparency especially in the absence of declaration of assets and liabilities law, this paper can reveal that Defence, Justice and Security Minister, Ramadeluka Seretse shares a company called Skua Holdings with Omphitlhetse Saleshando. The latter is the younger brother to Botswana Congress Party President Dumelang Saleshando.

He works for Kgalagadi Breweries Limited as a Sales and Distribution Manager for the Central District. Even though the Registrar of Companies does not state what the company does, it shows that the two are directors and that they joined it in April 2011. A certain Mohammed Uvais and Wame Ramolemoge registered it in Gaborone in 2010. Each held 50 percent shareholding respectively.

They then sold it to Seretse and Saleshando in 2011. Ramolemoge confirmed this on Wednesday. In an interview, Seretse confirmed that they do have a company called Skua. He said it is a joint venture in which they hold five percent shares. An unnamed Canadian company takes 90 percent of the shares while the remaining five percent goes to an unidentified South African company.

Saleshando also confirmed his involvement in the company. However, he explained that it does not “do anything directly,” but that it bids for the Botswana Power Corporation electricity distribution. Nevertheless, the involvement of the Saleshandos with members of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party is nothing new. Their father, who is also the former BCP president Gilson Saleshando and his wife have shares in the Wilderness Safari, with President Ian Khama.

The company is at the forefront of the brutal treatment of the Basarwa in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. In an interview, Dumelang Saleshando said his family members are independent in their decision-making. Thus said, their involvement with BDP members should not be questioned. “In the same way they do not interfere with my life, I never try to influence them in their decision making,” he said.