09 Apr 2017

Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) members have been advised to improve the manner in which they conducted themselves at their respective work places to avoid breaching the Public Service Act which may make them liable to prosecution.

Speaking at a meeting with members in Molepolole, BOPEU vice president, Mr Martin Gabokake said this would also save the union from unnecessary spending.

Mr Kebobake said the union leadership was concerned about the constant rise in expenses due to a high number of cases resulting from officers’ alleged misconduct that cost the union over P3 million since the beginning of the year.

He said the most prevalent cases were misappropriation of funds, theft and absenteeism across ministries with the Ministry of Health and Wellness recording the highest number of cases and said it was a disturbing trend for the union to continue registering a high number of such cases.

Mr Gabobake said it was upon this backdrop that the union was compelled to change the business model as the situation required financial muscle to be able to meet the prevalence of cases that continued to stretch its resources.

He explained to members that the union leadership was constantly exploring avenues through business indulgence that might help beef up its finances so that it did not compromise quality of legal representation for cases affecting some union members. 

The union secretary general, Mr Topias Marenga also briefed the members about the recent court decision on salary adjustment that he said was in favour of rival union BOFEPUSO, arguing that they were planning to act to reverse the decision as the decision was aimed to frustrate their  members. ENDS