13 Feb 2019

The position of the operations and marketing manager at Haskins was held by an expatriate from August 2003 until December 2011 when the position was removed from the structure of the company. Minister of Employment, Labour and Skills Development Mr Tshenolo Mabeo said the non-citizen who held the position was promoted to Director-Agricultural Business Development in 2012 and the incumbent holds a Bachelor of Commerce with 30 years’ experience. Answering a parliamentary question on Tuesday, Mr Mabeo explained that prior to his promotion to the position of a director; the incumbent was granted a work permit from August 2003 until December 2011.

He said the incumbent was also granted a work permit as Director- Agricultural Business Development from January 2012 until December 2018. Mr Mabeo said in all those cases, the company had demonstrated that they could not get a suitable local to do the job. In addition, he said upon renewal of his permit, the Regional Immigrants Selections Board rejected the application on November 16, 2018, and the company lodged an appeal, which was rejected on January 21, 2019 for the reasons that the employer did not show any commitment to localise the position.

MP for Gaborone North, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa had asked the minister how long the position of the operations and marketing manager at the company had been held by an expatriate and to state if there were no qualified Batswana for the position. Mr Nkaigwa also wanted to know what qualifications the current manager held, which Batswana did not possess and why the work permit of the manager was approved despite there being Batswana with similar or better qualifications and experience. ENDS