Bongiwe Zihlangu
MASERU — All Basotho Convention (ABC) party treasurer-general Sam Rapapa has gone AWOL, the Sunday Express can reveal.
This paper has established that Rapapa, who was until a month ago also the acting ABC acting secretary general, has not been attending crucial party meetings since the appointment of new secretary general Thabang Lits’iba last month.
A senior member of the party familiar with the situation told this paper on Friday on condition of anonymity that Rapapa has also not officially handed over the office of secretary general to Lits’iba.
The member added that Rapapa was still holding on to important party files and equipment.
“He hasn’t handed over vital files and equipment such as the ABC official stamp. The last time I saw him at the office was shortly after Ntate Lits’iba’s appointment,” the source said.
He added that since Rapapa’s disappearance, the ABC has been forced to make do without a treasurer, a situation which has apparently irked the party’s executive committee.
So worried is the committee that at its meeting on Tuesday, Rapapa’s prolonged absence was on the day’s agenda.
“Rapapa’s colleagues in the executive committee are currently pondering how to treat his absence. They see it as an inconvenience because of the post he holds,” the source said.
The source added that for a while before Lits’iba was appointed, Rapapa was already giving the ABC executive headaches by dragging his feet when given tasks to execute.
“Whenever he was given work to do by the executive committee, he would just take it slow and do things at his own pace,” the source alleged.
ABC leader Thomas Thabane confirmed yesterday that Rapapa has not been attending meetings.
“We don’t know where he is,” Thabane said.
“We have our working committee meetings at least once a month but he hasn’t been to two of such meetings. Sadly though, there was no apology for each of the two occasions,” he said.
“We didn’t want this coming out, but since you’ve caught wind of it I might as well confirm it. We’re a transparent party.”
Thabane said Rapapa’s absence was an inconvenience to the party because besides him being the ABC treasurer, he was also one of the five key members of the working committee.
“Just yesterday (Friday) we realised in our working committee meeting that his absence is an inconvenience as there are items which specifically need his attention as the treasurer,” Thabane said.
“The signing of some documents which need the signature of the treasurer has also been at a standstill.”
Asked what could have led to Rapapa’s disappearance, Thabane said they had not yet established the cause “but we hope to track him down soon enough”.
Several attempts to contact Rapapa yesterday proved futile as his mobile number was not available.
Comments are closed.