20 Mar 2022

Ministry of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development needs to conduct more labour inspections to enforce compliance with labour laws.

Debating the Ministry of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development budget proposal, Maun East MP, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile highlighted such need when debating the ministry’s budget proposal for the 2022/23 financial year recently.

Mr Kekgonegile argued that underpayment of employees, unilateral alteration of contractual agreements and violation of workers’ rights were rife in the local labour market.

The legislator also expressed concern about what he termed the ‘casualisation’ of jobs, where companies resorted to employment of part time or temporary staff in order to maximise profits instead of availing permanent jobs. “It is a source of concern that the trend these days is part time employment. Permanent jobs are hardly available nowadays. This practice has resulted in underpayment and exploitation of employees,” he said.

He said companies that underpaid workers raked in huge annual profits while employees sunk deeper into poverty.

Several MPs who contributed to the debate called for an increase of the minimum wage. Among them was Nata/Gweta MP, Mr Polson Majaga, who called for increase of the workers’ minimum hourly rates from the current range of P5 to P7.

Mr Majaga pointed that companies used the minimum hourly rates as an excuse to underpay workers. He further asked the ministry to ensure that all the courses offered in local brigades were accredited. Selebi Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse said some labour laws such as the minimum wage policy, were responsible for the violation of workers’ rights. He called for it to be revised, adding that companies had the capacity to pay workers P3 000 as minimum wages.

He added that the labour laws were not safeguarding job security and unionisation in the private sector. Sefhare/Ramokgonami MP, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang was also of the view that the minimum wage should be increased to P3 000.

Dr Gobotswang also asked government to address the state of vocational education. Ngami MP, Mr Caterpillar Hikuama urged the ministry to ensure operation of the Public Service Bargaining Council, saying it was not in the best interest of the country to have the Bargaining Council not functioning for many years. He also called for labour offices in every sub-district council.

Responding to some of the issues raised by MPs, Minister Machana Shamukuni admitted that the ministry was aware of cases of some companies not honouring employment contracts and violating workers’ rights.

“We are looking to capacitate our inspectorate division to make regular inspections on businesses to ensure compliance,” he said.

He further said labour laws were being reformed to enable implementation of the Decent Work Country Programme.

Mr Shamukuni further said the ministry was working round the clock to ensure improvements in the quality of vocational education and training. Meanwhile, MPs approved the ministry’s proposed budget estimates. ENDS