03 Mar 2014

Members of Parliament have called for the review of the minimum wage to save Batswana from exploitation.

Debating the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs budget estimates for 2014/15, MPs said people working for security companies and chain stores were being exploited on the basis that government has set a minimum wage.

The Member of Parliament for Lobatse, Mr Nehemiah Modubule said some chain stores should be monitored extensively especially in Lobatse because employees worked extended hours and under strenuous conditions but were not paid for it.

He said such chain stores, although raking in huge profits, were exploiting employees some of whom had been pegged at the set minimum wage for many years. The same went to the maids and herdsmen who were also given low wages, he added.

Member of Parliament for Tonota North, Mr Fidelis Molao also echoed the same sentiment and called for intensified labour inspections especially in remote areas such as farms.

Commenting on the budget proposals, Selebi Phikwe West legislator, Mr Gilson Saleshando said low wages negatively affected the economy as its cycle was broken by people who could not afford to make purchases.

MP Frank Ramsden called for investigations on the flight operators in Maun saying they did not employ locals although there were a good number of qualified Batswana pilots.

Mahalapye East MP, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso said security companies paid their employees late. Botswana, she said, should be a signatory to the SADC Gender Protocol to ensure women’s role in politics increases.

Ms Tshireletso said without the quota, the women would always find it difficult to break into the political sphere which is dominated by males. Contributing to the debate, MP for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi said a number of Batswana working for mining companies have lost their jobs and replaced by foreigners.

These mining companies had outsourced some of their operations to foreign owned companies, he said. MP Mmolotsi also said the government should review the minimum wage to rescue Batswana from exploitation.

Furthermore, he said the Department of Labour has become toothless, adding that even cases referred to the Industrial Court take time to be settled resulting with employees losing hope in the process and giving up. He further said it should be the Industrial Court that engaged deputy sheriffs at the government expense and not the aggrieved employees.

For his part, MP for Tswapong North, Mr Prince Maele said people in his constituency had difficulties in making identity cards or birth certificates as machines in Palapye are constantly down.

He further said people should know the exact reasons for being denied work and residence permits instead of being told it was for security reasons without any elaboration. MP Maele called on the minister to intensify his efforts in addressing gender based violence saying it was rampant in his constituency.

He said the minister should come up with Violence Against Women Act saying women and the girl-child were open to abuse such as beatings and rapes.

MP Maele said this could be achieved through a Multi Sectoral National Action Plan which includes men who are the most perpetrators of these violent acts.

He said labour inspections should also address issues of health and safety but not look only into wages as some people are working under difficult conditions.

MP for Ngwaketse West, Mr Mephato Reatile called on the minister to assist people in Thankane settlement saying a number of elderly people there did not have identity cards as they grew up in farms and therefore could not access government services.

He said there should be a fully- fledged Ministry of Labour in line with international practice as labour issues are intense and deserve undivided attention. ENDS