7 hours ago
Gaborone High Court Judge, Justice Tshepo Motswagole has ordered Government to respond to an urgent application by Kgalagadi Breweries Proprietary Limited (KBL) which seeks- amongst others, to reverse the imposed alcohol ban by Thursday (July 15, 2021).
In the order, Justice Motswagole also asks Chief Justice to consider appointing a panel of judges to hear the matter.
Both parties have also been ordered to file their heads of argument by July 27th.
In the matter, KBL has dragged the Attorney General, President Mokgweetsi Masisi and Director of Health Services to court over the Government notice No.362 of 2021 issued in terms of the emergency powers act (CAP 22:04) as read with the emergency powers (Covid-19) regulations,2020 and published by the Director of Health Services which effectively banned the sale of alcohol which is KBL’s main line of business and operation.
KBL challenges Masisi s authority ⋆ TheVoiceBW thevoicebw.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thevoicebw.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
24th January 2021
A decision by Botswana Government to impose heavy levies on alcohol a little over a decade ago inadvertently led to KBL managers becoming semi-political operators.
That was because levies demanded an ability on managers at Kgalagadi Breweries limited to have one eye on the sales and another on the politics.
It was not a role KBL managers gladly embraced.
The heavy levies by former President Ian Khama were a source of exasperation for both the alcohol consumers and alcohol sellers alike.
If the current Managing Director had thought that was now history, recent events must have given him a rude awakening.