23 May 2016

 Residents of Sepako in the Nata/Gweta constituency have requested government to reinforce labour laws on the employment of herdsman in order to bind employers to pay the stipulated minimum wage for them.

Speaking in a kgotla meeting addressed by the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu, on Friday residents said employers, who were mostly part time farmers  ill-treated herdmen and also failed to pay them the minimum wage of P553.

One resident, Ms Seeta Bangane explained that employers ill-treated herdmen to the extent they in some instances go for months without getting their wages and even their food rations.

She said their employers did that as they are aware that not everybody has the guts to register the concerns with labour offices. 

Ms Bangane further said there are some employers who instead of paying them their dues in the form of money they instead buy them alcohol and sometimes only pay them as little as P100 instead of the minimum wage. 

She said those who managed to take their concerns to the labour office have been referred to the industrial court and due to lack of resources to go to the court in Francistown have since given up on getting justice done. 

She appealed to the minister that his ministry should make dispensation that the herdsman employment conditions can be enforced by dikgosi in various areas so that employers can abide by the conditions. 

She said sometimes employers instead of paying them, they accuse them of missing property and drag them to the courts of law. “There should be a balance and employers should understand that we can also take them to court,” she said.

In his response, minister Batshu explained there are conditions for every employment and both parties should see to it that they agree on them at the beginning of the contract of employment. 

He stressed that the labour laws are fair on but in some instances people do not want to do the right things. 

He said employees and employers should at all times, whether in informal or formal employment set conditions that will help to work amicably. 

Mr Batshu said at the beginning of June the minimum wage for herdsman will be increased to P620 and it will emphasise that 60 per cent of the wage should be monetary while 40 per cent can be in meeting the other needs of the employee. 

Regarding that concern, the Nata Omang office is not satisfactorily serving the community as a result of shortage of  staff and equipment such as cameras, Mr Batshu said his ministry will address the grievances as soon as possible so that the office benefit the community. 

On the suggestion that birth certificates should be issued at the health facilities, Mr Batshu said that would not be possible because some health facilities do not have maternity wings and at the same time his ministry does not have capacity to station officers at all the facilities. ENDS