Africa-Press – Botswana. Members of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have expressed displeasure on the conditions of work Batswana are subjected to by employers.
During the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs audit by the committee in Gaborone on Wednesday, the committee Chairperson, also Member of Parliament for Bobirwa, Mr Taolo Lucas, said workers were not free to talk about the poor working conditions for fear of victimisation and possible dismissal.
Mr Lucas said farm workers in Gantsi and Tuli Block were abused and should be prioritised for inspection of labour.
He said some workers were given monthly contracts which was common among Chinese employers and was unfair to Batswana.
He also said even the government was engaged in such practices as temporary and freelance positions were not filled to avoid paying gratuity and severance to employees.
He said the committee had asked companies to bring employment returns from which they looked into needed skills, places of work and skills transfer where foreigners were engaged.
Mr Lucas said it was true employers exploited workers through the monthly contracts. Member of the PAC and MP for Gamalete, Mr Boniface Mabeo, said working conditions were appalling especially in establishments ran by the Chinese and Indians.
Mr Mabeo said some workers were exposed to excessive heat without proper protective clothing putting them at risk. Another member of the PAC, Mr Victor Phologolo, said trade unions were also non-compliant to labour laws, and yet collected subscription from members without annual returns.
Mr Phologolo said such unions continued to exist and remained in the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs books which was an act of non-compliance. Another member of the committee, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile, said the special permits for mines to operate special shifts, the mines have since changed to 12-hour shifts with exemption permits.
“These permits have been running for seven years yet normally, special permits are supposed to run during emergencies. What kind of mining emergencies run for seven years?” he asked.
He said workers would continue to suffer unless the permits were revoked.
He also said payment, averaging overtime hours in mines and other establishments were to be cancelled to fairly pay workers for work done.
He further said Batswana possessed skills that foreigners were offered permits for such as teaching in private schools and some shops.
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