5th April 2020
Sello Motseta
The Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development Sunday in a press conference with the local media acknowledged private businesses were putting workers on unpaid leave, issuing others with suspensions without pay and pursuing retrenchments to protect their bottom line undermining social security considerations and sabotaging the spirit of collective bargaining.
Mpho Balopi, Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development, said “We have confirmed reports that some have dismissed staff, or undertaken illegal retrenchments or other such actions, which are not only inconsistent with the pronouncements made by the government but are offensive to the type of solidarity actions required in these tough time.”
He said, “Those that may not have acted properly or have done the wrong thing in mishandling the spirit of the Employment Act or matters of labour relations – must please revisit their actions and correct without delay. The tourism, hotel, retail, education and food services sectors have already run foul of the expected. I mention them just so that no one must be under the impression that government and labour are not aware and are expecting quick and hassle free amends.”
In one case an employee at Kwena Spar had to stay at home because walking to work had caused his feet to swell and there were fears that the company which is not offering its employees transport despite the absence of public transport would further cut his meagre salary.
Employees from Security Systems say there is no transport for employees to go home event at night except for those living in Tlokweng and the employees are expected to fend for themselves.
Nor does Mogoditshane Spar organise transport for employees with some employees missing some days at work because of transport issues. Employees at some retailers are leaving work early to hitch hike and find public or private transport to go back home to their families.
At FOURS, TOTAL, SHELL and other retail outlets the same issues persist with private companies refusing to make any sacrifices for the common good despite subsidies from BURS to help businesses overcome effects of Corona Virus. At SuperSpar at Riverwalk a Manager called Rathinam at the retail store who travelled back to Botswana from India, is coughing and sneezing but is reportedly reluctant to test for corona virus much to the discomfort of colleagues who are too scared to confront him on the issue.
Despite the issue being reported to health officials no action has been taken and he continues to report for work with continuing concern on implementing capacity of government and an apparent deference to foreign nationals who appear to be treated with kids gloves by enforcement officials.
According to officials at the Ministry of Health and Wellness the National Health laboratory(NHL) they have received a total of 996 specimens with 806 negative and 6 testing positive. A total of the 156 specimens are pending and their results are not yet known.
All five confirmed cases of corona virus are currently doing well at Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital and tracing of all 208 contacts are being done.
Lebogang Kwape, Minister of Health and Wellness, said “Botswana reports two new confirmed cases of COVID – 19, making a total of sic confirmed cases in Botswana. The two cases are a 27 year old male who arrived from the United Kingdom via Ethiopian Airlines, flight ET 829 on March 21. He was sent on home quarantine. He was tested on the 28th march after developing symptoms and admitted at Scottish Livingstone Hospital. He was transferred Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital on March 31, 2020. All 46 contacts have been traced.”
He said, “The second case is a close contact of the aforementioned case. She is a 27 year old female who is with no known travel history. She moved into the same house as the above case as his companion. She was tested at Scottish Livingstone Hospital on March 29, 2020 after developing symptoms as well and she too was transferred to Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital on March 31, 2020.”
The Ministry of Health and Wellness was looking at the possibility of engaging other local institutions like the University of Botswana, Botswana Harvard Partnership, private laboratories, Botswana Veterinary Laboratory and Botswana Vaccine Institute to conduct tests.
Botswana plans to conduct 20,000 tests on people coming from high risk countries, health care workers and individuals showing symptoms of the corona virus disease to show if local transmission is taking place and to enable government to take appropriate action if that is the case.
It however acknowledges that the country is burdened with problem of shortage of masks.
