05 Feb 2015

The training and localisation requirements as set out in the Revised National Policy on Incomes, Employment, Prices and Profits of 2005 still form part of government policy position, the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu, has said. 

Responding to a question in Parliament from Selebi-Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse, the minister said in terms of this policy, “work permits will be issued subject to, in the first instance, evidence that a company has sought to recruit and give preference to Botswana candidates, normal security clearance and commitment to implement plans. For subsequent issuance of work and residence permits, evidence of availability of and adherence to training and localisation plans will also be a condition.”

Much as his Ministry was supposed to request all employees who employ non-citizens to prepare and submit training and localisation plans to the Commissioner of Labour and Social Security, Mr Batshu said due to limited capacity in the Department of Labour, it targeted employers who employed a significant number of non-citizens and requests them to prepare and submit training and localisation plans. 

Pursuant to this, he said 24 companies had valid training and localisation plans, adding that the 24 training and localisation plans expired on different dates. Five plans, he said would expire in 2015, three in 2016, five in 2017, five in 2018, five in 2019 and one in 2020. 

The minister also noted that the training and localisation plans were discussed and adopted in a tripartite meeting involving representatives of management, employees and the Commissioner of Labour and Social Security. He explained that monitoring of the implementation of the training and localisation plans was done by carrying out mid-term reviews of the plans by the three parties. 

In addition, in terms the Immigration Act, No. 3 of 2011, he said “the Regional Immigrants Selection Boards, in considering applications for work and residence permits, satisfy themselves that employers have fulfilled their commitments in so far as training and localisation is concerned.”

This requirement, Mr Batshu said formed part of the Point Based System which he said was a tool that was used to assess work and residence permits. Furthermore, he said in carrying out Labour Inspections, the Commissioner of Labour and Social Security satisfied herself that the commitments made by employers in the training and localisation plans were executed.

The challenges that hinder the full implementation of the training and localisation plans, the minister said included; high turnover of identified understudies, retrenchments, lack of commitment by management to localise expatriate held positions, poor work ethic of locals and lack of capacity by his ministry to monitor the implementation of the plans. 

Mr Keorapetse had asked Mr Batshu to state the number and names of companies which had submitted their localisation and training plans, when the localisation and training plans were coming to an end and what measures had been put in place to supervise, monitor and evaluate the plans.  ENDS