24 Oct 2013

Employees of Rickmark Bokomo Company in Moletemane have been implored to form a workers’ committee to help advance their grievances to management.

Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Mr Shaw Kgathi informed employees during a meeting on October 23 at the company premises that workers needed to have committees that would allow them to establish a good working relationship with their management.

Mr Kgathi said conflicts were unnecessary in the workplace especially at time-based organisations such as Richmark Bokomo that had to meet supply and demand. The minister urged workers to comply with the company’s guidelines and standards and also appealed to management to respect the rights of the workers if conflicts were to be avoided.

Mr Kgathi said “government hold Richmark Bokomo at high regard for pioneering large scale chicken production and was happy that it had created employment to a lot of people and provided opportunities for associated businesses in the constituency”.

However, he commended the company for paying its workers far above the minimum wage, indicating that the wage was just a guideline and was not meant to stop employers from paying their workers above it.

Mr Kgathi, also Member of Parliament for Bobirwa hailed Richmark for setting up a clinic within the company’s premises and said the move would address absenteeism of some workers due to illnesses.

He advised workers to learn some skills that they could use later in life once they decide to pursue their own ventures. The minister also encouraged employees to enroll with the Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning to equip themselves with proper business skills.

He further said those under 35 years should consider applying for Youth Development Fund and YES programmes with his ministry. He acknowledged that there was water shortage at the farm and added that government could not allow a company of that magnitude to collapse due to lack of water.

He urged the company to consult with Water Utilities Corporation to ensure that water shortage issue was addressed. A road link between Tsetsebye and Moletemane is a concern to the company and residents and the Village Development Committee was asked to prioritise its projects. Workers expressed delight at the minister’s visit and commended the company for paying well but, were concerned with the water shortage situation. ENDS