25 Feb 2020

Alteration of the water levels report form to show a lower level when it was not the case at last year’s train accident scene is a serious offence, board of enquiry  chairperson has said.

Mr Olefile Moakofi told Mr Johnson Thupane, Botswana Railways (BR) acting civil engineer, who was testifying during the ongoing enquiry into the accident, to get to the bottom of the issue because the fact was that the water levels were high.

When giving evidence, Mr Thupane had said he did not look through the report and therefore did not notice the alteration and that it was not signed.

Mr Thupane also denied ever instructing Mr Kgomotso Saitsoketsa, one of the late BR employee, to check the water levels.

“I cannot speculate who instructed Mr Saitsoketsa to board the train and go and check the water levels,” he said.

Although he denied giving him the instruction, Mr Thupane  admitted communicating with the deceased on December 9, the day before the accident, between 5pm and 6pm.

“I just feel that the gentleman misled me because in the morning he had said the water level was not threatening”, he said. 

He said when he communicated with Mr Saitsoketsa, he thought he was in Mahalapye only to discover that he was in Ramotswa.

He also said he could not have instructed Mr Saitsoketsa to patrol the railway line because team leaders were doing the job.

Asked why an unqualified person was appointed to act as track master, he said Mr Saitsoketsa had proved to be useful in previous assignments.

Mr Thupane said he could not communicate to the track master who was responsible for the  area between Mahalapye and South Africa because he “wanted updates as quick as possible”. 

Board members were of the opinion that the accident could have been avoided had Mr Thupane told the truth.

 They also wondered why the team leaders could not put any warning sign to caution the oncoming train. 

The board also questioned Mr Thupane’s decision to instruct the train to run but on caution.  

They said it was unfortunate that Mr Saitsoketsa was not around to state his side of the story and the deceased was himself misled because he was given a position he did not deserve.

Mr Moakofi said it was in the interest of the public to know how BR was run hence the institution of the board to look into circumstances which led to the train derailment last December 10. 

The enquiry includes looking at  the organisation’s systems, traditions, organisation culture and philosophies and coming up with ways of improving it, he said.

ends