- Acting CEO recalled, less than a year into his contract - CEO suspends Finance Manager - DCEC investigates CEO over reimbursement claims
An unprecedented governance war has engulfed one of the country’s critical economic diversification entities, SPEDU, as the Acting Chief Executive Officer, Othata Batsetswe, finds himself fighting for survival from his superiors’ drawn swords, Botswana Guardian has learnt.
Batsetswe was appointed Acting Chief Executive Officer of SPEDU in August 2025, taking over the leadership of the regional economic development agency.
Today, he finds himself fighting for survival after his portfolio Minister Tiroeaone Ntsima of Trade and Entrepreneurship served him with a letter of redeployment, ending his secondment to SPEDU.
Worse still, another communication from the Permanent Secretary, Joel Ramaphoi, indicates that there is an independent review by the ministry being undertaken at SPEDU relating to governance, administrative and procurement, among others.
He was further directed to prepare a handover report.
“I write to formally advise you that Government has resolved to conclude your secondment as Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Selibe-Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU), with effect from 12th June 2026.
Accordingly, you are hereby recalled to your substantive position of Deputy Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship,” Minister Ntsima said in a letter to Batsetswe.
According to the Minister, this decision has been taken in the interest of ensuring effective institutional governance, strengthening administrative oversight and supporting the ongoing operational requirements of both SPEDU and the Ministry.
Permanent Secretary Ramaphoi said, “The Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship has received concerns relating to governance, administrative, procurement, human resource and financial management practices within SPEDU.”
In order to establish the facts and provide objective recommendations, the Ministry has commissioned an independent review of relevant operational and governance matters.
Information gathered by this publication has revealed that what broke the camel’s back was a decision by Batsetswe to suspend Finance Manager- Corporate Services Kitso Mocuminyane on the 8th of June 2026.
This according to sources triggered the ongoing investigations on corruption allegations. A team of investigators from both the Ministry and the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) have since Monday this week been busy at the SPEDU head office in Selibe-Phikwe carrying out investigations.
Following an exchange of letters between Batsetswe and the Minister where the CEO was challenging the rationale behind his recall, the SPEDU Board Chairperson on Tuesday this week addressed members of staff on the new developments.
Sources have revealed that Batsetswe is being investigated for corruption, abuse of office, financial mismanagement, governance and procurement.
Batsetswe placed the finance manager on administrative leave on Monday last week and requested him to avail himself should the organisation need him to participate in meetings or investigations.
The Finance Manager has been barred from entering the organisation’s premises or contacting board members, employees, clients, suppliers and other stakeholders.
Seized documents seen by this publication likely to be used against Batsetswe include: Compliance with procurement laws and regulations; contract award and management processes; potential conflicts of interest and related-party transactions; recruitment, promotion, disciplinary and separation processes; compliance with approved HR policies and procedures; travel, subsistence and operational expenditure; Financial controls, approvals and reporting arrangements; Management of assets and public resources; Decision-making structures; Board-management relations; and compliance with governance obligations and reporting requirements.
Sources have revealed that even though most of the retrieved transactions have paper trail and processing history the Acting CEO might run out of luck given strained relationship with some of the executive members including the suspended finance manager and some of the board members.
Batsetswe has made several re-imbursement requests to the organisation among them travel expenses, electricity and water, refreshments, accommodation and meals and households’ expenses (including swimming pool, house helper, internet, gardener).
Documents show that the reimbursement ranges between P2000.00 and P9995.00 (being the highest paid refund made in March 2026) of which the claim records show the CEO paid with his own money.
Another transaction which is said to be of interest is the one where Batsetswe sought professional advice in November 2025, on how to proceed and file papers in one of their cases.
In a Memorandum to the Finance Manager, Batsetswe said he took the decision because of the clumsiness at which the case was handled internally. He argued that these cases have been handled casually which explains why SPEDU loses cases on litigations.
Batsetswe requested the finance manager to process the payment of P61, 625.00 to Global Africa Perspective Consultancy based in Palapye.
Investigators are said to also be interested in the award of a contract and advance payment to a company named Braveside Investment (Pty) Ltd for the design, layout and print of Annual Reports for financial year 2023/24 and 2024/2025.
According to a Memorandum from the Corporate Communications Manager dated 13th January 2026, the document indicates that the advance payment requested stood at P170, 549.50 being a 50 per cent agreed for the two financial years- (for 2023/24 the total was P171, 100.00 and for 2024/25 P170, 099.00).
Batsetswe has since rebuffed the recall by the minister arguing that the abruptness of the letter, violates the principles of natural justice and compels him to exercise the principle of audi alteram partem and the requirement of a reasonable notice in concluding the affairs of his life.
“The letter further continues to contradict the logic on Institutional Governance in that it claims that this sudden move is ‘in the interest of ensuring effective institutional governance, strengthening administrative oversight and supporting the ongoing operational requirements of both SPEDU and the ministry,” he said when responding to the redeployment letter by the minister.
He argued that the abrupt secondment termination is ignoring the proposals for mega projects that he is currently handling.
Added Batsetswe, “The ministry is also aware that there are several Presidential projects under my supervision which require for smooth transition considering their sensitivity and the urgency at which they have to be executed.”
Batsetswe could not be reached for comment on the investigations as his mobile phone was off while Minister Ntsima’s phone rang unanswered.
Batsetswe was appointed Acting Chief Executive Officer of SPEDU in August 2025, taking over the leadership of the regional economic development agency.
Today, he finds himself fighting for survival after his portfolio Minister Tiroeaone Ntsima of Trade and Entrepreneurship served him with a letter of redeployment, ending his secondment to SPEDU.
Worse still, another communication from the Permanent Secretary, Joel Ramaphoi, indicates that there is an independent review by the ministry being undertaken at SPEDU relating to governance, administrative and procurement, among others.
He was further directed to prepare a handover report.
“I write to formally advise you that Government has resolved to conclude your secondment as Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Selibe-Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU), with effect from 12th June 2026.
Accordingly, you are hereby recalled to your substantive position of Deputy Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship,” Minister Ntsima said in a letter to Batsetswe.
According to the Minister, this decision has been taken in the interest of ensuring effective institutional governance, strengthening administrative oversight and supporting the ongoing operational requirements of both SPEDU and the Ministry.
Permanent Secretary Ramaphoi said, “The Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship has received concerns relating to governance, administrative, procurement, human resource and financial management practices within SPEDU.”
In order to establish the facts and provide objective recommendations, the Ministry has commissioned an independent review of relevant operational and governance matters.
Information gathered by this publication has revealed that what broke the camel’s back was a decision by Batsetswe to suspend Finance Manager- Corporate Services Kitso Mocuminyane on the 8th of June 2026.
This according to sources triggered the ongoing investigations on corruption allegations. A team of investigators from both the Ministry and the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) have since Monday this week been busy at the SPEDU head office in Selibe-Phikwe carrying out investigations.
Following an exchange of letters between Batsetswe and the Minister where the CEO was challenging the rationale behind his recall, the SPEDU Board Chairperson on Tuesday this week addressed members of staff on the new developments.
Sources have revealed that Batsetswe is being investigated for corruption, abuse of office, financial mismanagement, governance and procurement.
Batsetswe placed the finance manager on administrative leave on Monday last week and requested him to avail himself should the organisation need him to participate in meetings or investigations.
The Finance Manager has been barred from entering the organisation’s premises or contacting board members, employees, clients, suppliers and other stakeholders.
Seized documents seen by this publication likely to be used against Batsetswe include: Compliance with procurement laws and regulations; contract award and management processes; potential conflicts of interest and related-party transactions; recruitment, promotion, disciplinary and separation processes; compliance with approved HR policies and procedures; travel, subsistence and operational expenditure; Financial controls, approvals and reporting arrangements; Management of assets and public resources; Decision-making structures; Board-management relations; and compliance with governance obligations and reporting requirements.
Sources have revealed that even though most of the retrieved transactions have paper trail and processing history the Acting CEO might run out of luck given strained relationship with some of the executive members including the suspended finance manager and some of the board members.
Batsetswe has made several re-imbursement requests to the organisation among them travel expenses, electricity and water, refreshments, accommodation and meals and households’ expenses (including swimming pool, house helper, internet, gardener).
Documents show that the reimbursement ranges between P2000.00 and P9995.00 (being the highest paid refund made in March 2026) of which the claim records show the CEO paid with his own money.
Another transaction which is said to be of interest is the one where Batsetswe sought professional advice in November 2025, on how to proceed and file papers in one of their cases.
In a Memorandum to the Finance Manager, Batsetswe said he took the decision because of the clumsiness at which the case was handled internally. He argued that these cases have been handled casually which explains why SPEDU loses cases on litigations.
Batsetswe requested the finance manager to process the payment of P61, 625.00 to Global Africa Perspective Consultancy based in Palapye.
Investigators are said to also be interested in the award of a contract and advance payment to a company named Braveside Investment (Pty) Ltd for the design, layout and print of Annual Reports for financial year 2023/24 and 2024/2025.
According to a Memorandum from the Corporate Communications Manager dated 13th January 2026, the document indicates that the advance payment requested stood at P170, 549.50 being a 50 per cent agreed for the two financial years- (for 2023/24 the total was P171, 100.00 and for 2024/25 P170, 099.00).
Batsetswe has since rebuffed the recall by the minister arguing that the abruptness of the letter, violates the principles of natural justice and compels him to exercise the principle of audi alteram partem and the requirement of a reasonable notice in concluding the affairs of his life.
“The letter further continues to contradict the logic on Institutional Governance in that it claims that this sudden move is ‘in the interest of ensuring effective institutional governance, strengthening administrative oversight and supporting the ongoing operational requirements of both SPEDU and the ministry,” he said when responding to the redeployment letter by the minister.
He argued that the abrupt secondment termination is ignoring the proposals for mega projects that he is currently handling.
Added Batsetswe, “The ministry is also aware that there are several Presidential projects under my supervision which require for smooth transition considering their sensitivity and the urgency at which they have to be executed.”
Batsetswe could not be reached for comment on the investigations as his mobile phone was off while Minister Ntsima’s phone rang unanswered.
