08 Feb 2017

Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development, Mr Edwin Batshu has said six out of 12 managerial positions at NTT Nissan car dealership in Broadhurst, Gaborone, are held by non-citizens.

Responding to a question in parliament, Mr Batshu said the non-citizens renew their work permits in terms of Section 23 of the Immigration Act, which empowers the Regional Immigrants Selection Board to consider every application put before it and thereafter issues a permit or rejects the application.

Minister Batshu said the foreigners hold the positions of group training manager, dealer principal, group IT manager, workshop manager – light vehicles, workshop manager – heavy vehicles and workshop foreman – ultimate dependability trucks.

He said there are six Batswana understudying non-citizens managers and said he could not divulge their names as doing so he would be contravening Parliament’s Standing Orders.

Mr Batshu said the light vehicle workshop manager was granted five year permit after his appeal to the minister in line with the provision of Section 25 of the Immigration Act.
Section 25 empowers the minister to consider appeals for work permits that have been rejected by the Regional Immigrants Selection Board.

He said only one technician’s work permit which was valid from November 2012 to December 2015 was renewed from December 2015 to November 202 because he had the requisite qualifications and experience for the position.

Minister Batshu said the company has renewed permits for three non-citizens in Francistown.

These are the finance manager who has been granted three years up to 2019, two workshop foremen who have been granted two and three year permits up to 2019 and 2020 respectively.

There were no renewed permits in Maun. Mr Batshu said the minister may grant work permits in accordance with factors laid down in Section 25 which are; security considerations, non-availability of suitable skills in the market, authenticity of information and documents supplied, character of the appellant, commitment to implement localisation plans, proof of investment capital and proof of employment offer.

MP for Boteti East, Mr Setlhomo Lelatisitswe had asked the minister whether all managerial positions at NNT Nissan car dealership in Broadhurst, Gaborone are in the hands of foreigners and that they easily renew their permits every time they expire.

He asked the minister to state the special skills each manager possesses, the names of Batswana who have been understudying these managers since their first contract and the year that understudying started and why the light vehicle workshop manager was granted five years permit after he was rejected by the Regional Labour office.

MP Lelatisitswe further asked why permits of two foreigners hired as technicians were renewed and how many years have they enjoyed this dispensation.

The minister was also to state if the company has also renewed permits in other branches such as Francistown and Maun; and who was behind this at the ministry. ENDS