26 Mar 2019

Parliament has been informed that Gaborone District labour office does not have a report relating to verbal abuse of employees by the managing director of Mendel Welding and Engineering.

The Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo said this in response to a question posed by MP for Gaborone North, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa.

Mr Mabeo said that issue was not raised during the labour inspection conducted at the company on November 11 to 12, 2018.

In addition, he said, a factory inspection was carried out on November 7, 2018 and February 26, 2019; where gaps were identified, which included inappropriate personal clothing, which was not in line with the processes of welding and fabrication, cutting, painting, assembling/installation of ferrous and non-ferrous metal.

The inspections also revealed that the kitchen was next to the toilet, compromising the health of the workers, but the employer was relocating it. There was also poor housing keeping, which led to metal cuts not kept safely.

Minister Mabeo said however the employer was advised to provide flame resistance overalls and to replace them when necessary. With regard to damaged electrical cables found at the company, the factory inspectors confiscated them for disposal.

He highlighted that the director of Occupational Health and Safety would make a follow up on April 5 regarding cables, which were found criss crossing the floor.

Mr Mabeo told the House that the employer was advised to carry out periodic medical examination on employees, to provide appropriate personal protective equipment and also adhere to the health safety regulations.

MP Nkaigwa had wanted to know when the last labour inspection was done at Mendel Welding and Engineering, if the minister was aware that employees were working under compromised health and safety condition and if that was the case; what was being done to protect the lives of employees.

Mr Nkaigwa also asked the minister what was being done to protect employees from the verbal abuse they continued to endure from the managing director.

Again, he wanted to know what was being done to protect the health and safety of employees whose mouths were affected after using galvanized material without proper care and safety precaution. Ends