06 Jul 2017

Assistant Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, Mr Fidelis Molao has told Parliament that the University of Botswana (UB) has had a total of 23 legal cases against the University of Botswana Academic and Senior Staff Union (UBASSU) in the past seven years.

Responding to a question posed by Specially Elected MP, Mr Mephato Reatile in Parliament on July 5, Mr Molao said some of the cases revolved around conditions of service, citing such issues as claiming of damages for workplace injury, alleged unlawful non-renewal of contract, appeal against termination of contract on the basis of redundancy and claims for salary and benefits among others.

He said UB won nine while UBASSU won three.

He said the other two cases were settled out of court while nine were still on-going.

Mr Molao said the total costs incurred by UB during the said legal battles was almost P3 million.

MP Reatile had wanted to know the number of cases and nature of offences that took place between UB and UBASSU or any other staff member in the past seven years.

He had also wanted to know the number of cases that UB had won and lost against UBASSU and the total legal costs incurred by UB during the legal battles.

Meanwhile, Parliament was told that while government supported Pula Steel through investment by CEDA, the company remained a private entity.

Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Vincent Seretse said as a result, his ministry was unable to provide details pertaining to proceeds received by other Pula Steel shareholders.

He however stated that CEDA had received P3.6 million as proceeds of its shares acquired by BCL.

He confirmed though that CEDA had invested a total of P20 million while BCL had invested P111.2 million.

With regard to work permits, the assistant minister said the ministry did not get involved in the application for work permits unless there was a specific reason to do so such as an appeal from the company for the minister to intervene in case of investors required for the project.

Minister Seretse was responding to a question asked by MP Dithapelo Keorapetse of Selebi Phikwe West, who had asked how much each Pula Steel shareholder was paid for their equity in the company as well as how much government and/or BCL or any subsidiary invested in the company and at what intervals.

Mr Keorapetse had also wanted to know the number of work permits that were issued for Pula Steel staff, at what level of work and when they were issued. ENDS