BOPEU, Manual Workers divided over BURS strike
Strike at own risk – Motshwarakgole
The national strike by the Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS) has great potential of widening the rivalry between the public service unions, especially the Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) and the National Amalgamated Local, Central government and Parastatal Workers Union (NALGPWU).
When employees of the BURS who are members of BOPEU went on strike this week in protest of low salary increment by the employer, those of the NALGPWU did not join them as they are awaiting the negotiated salary restructuring to take place.
BURS took BOPEU to court on Thursday morning in an effort to stop the strike. Before the Industrial court, BURS pleaded for a thirty day period before the employees could put a notice to go on strike. According to them it is a legal requirement that the Union wait for thirty days after the Director of Labour declared that the two parties had failed to reach a settlement.
However BOPEU contended that it did not make sense for it to wait that long when its members were suffering and it was clear that the employer had no intention to change its stand. BOPEU told the court that their members have not been receiving the 6% salary increment offered by the employer for the last three Months as they wanted more. The court was told that the BOPEU members who work for BURS were more than ready to go on strike so as to demonstrate their rights and force the employer to reach a settlement with the union.
By Thursday evening, the Industrial court had issued a ruling in favour of the Union and some BOPEU members who were on duty immediately abandoned their work stations and took to the streets.
On Friday morning BURS declared that some of its services including at the borders and airports would be disrupted or slower than usual.
“The BURS Management apologises to its customers for the inconveniences that the industrial action may cause and assures the public that it is doing all it can to expeditiously restore normal services,” the BURS Management announced on Friday morning.
The move by BOPEU is viewed as a timely scheme for them to claim credit for the results of the salary restructuring which is ongoing within BURS-the restructuring is expected to lead to better salary scales. The restructuring is a result of negotiation between BURS and NALCPWU.
NALCPWU’s Secretary for Labour, Johnson Motshwarakgole confirmed that BOPEU never asked for their support when they went on strike. He could not disclose whether members of his union would have gone on strike or not as he said they had not discussed the issue with them.
“We do not have to look at this issue narrowly. We (NALCPWU) and BURS have appointed a task force which is working on the restructuring of the employees’ salaries. I have been told that the report of the task force has been completed and that as we speak, BURS is working on profiling the employees. The final report is expected this month of July,” explained Motshwarakgole.
The restructuring, according to Motshwarakgole is expected to cause BURS to increase its employees’ salaries by twenty percent. Motshwarakgole maintains that his union, together with BURS have agreed on the structure which would culminate into better packages for employees and they have since agreed with BURS to “cushion” their members with a six percent salary increment while they waited for the exercise to be completed.
“We have negotiated better salary increment for our members. All our recent negotiations led to twenty percent salary increment. Take for example BTA, HRDC and UB, they all got a twenty percent salary raise owing to our negotiations,” Motshwarakgole said before adding that, “You should also remember that we negotiated for BURS employees to get bonus payments at the end of every year. The agreement is that a small percentage from the annual collection should benefit the employees because they collect Millions of Pula every year for the employer,” Motshwarakgole added.
Nonetheless, he said the NALCPWU was in solidarity with BOPEU and supported their course of action. However he stressed that, they have not encouraged their members to join the strike because if they do it would be betrayal to their agreement with BURS over the restructuring exercise.
“We cannot stop anyone from going on strike. It is an individual choice more so that it is a no work no pay kind of action,” Motshwakgole added.
Meanwhile BOPEU reports that since the beginning of the strike Thursday evening and the announcement of the intention to strike, they are receiving new members into their union.
As the unions take a position of “one man on his own” fears are rife that the two parties who are members of the Botswana Federation of Public Service Unions (BOFEPUSU) may never smoke the peace pipe.
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Nigerians, Zimbabweans apply for Chema Chema Fund
Fronting activities, where locals are used as a front for foreign-owned businesses, have been a long-standing issue in Botswana. These activities not only undermine the government’s efforts to promote local businesses but also deprive Batswana of opportunities for economic empowerment, officials say. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has warned of heavy penalties for those involved in fronting activities especially in relation to the latest popular government initiative dubbed Chema Chema.
According to the Ministry, the Industrial Development Act of 2019 clearly outlines the consequences of engaging in fronting activities. The fines of up to P50,000 for first-time offenders and P20,000 plus a two-year jail term for repeat offenders send a strong message that the government is serious about cracking down on this illegal practice. These penalties are meant to deter individuals from participating in fronting activities and to protect the integrity of local industries.
“It is disheartening to hear reports of collaboration between foreigners and locals to exploit government initiatives such as the Chema Chema Fund. This fund, administered by CEDA and LEA, is meant to support informal traders and low-income earners in Botswana. However, when fronting activities come into play, the intended beneficiaries are sidelined, and the funds are misused for personal gain.” It has been discovered that foreign nationals predominantly of Zimbabwean and Nigerian origin use unsuspecting Batswana to attempt to access the Chema Chema Fund. It is understood that they approach these Batswana under the guise of drafting business plans for them or simply coming up with ‘bankable business ideas that qualify for Chema Chema.’
Observers say the Chema Chema Fund has the potential to uplift the lives of many Batswana who are struggling to make ends meet. They argue that it is crucial that these funds are used for their intended purpose and not siphoned off through illegal activities such as fronting. The Ministry says the warning it issued serves as a reminder to all stakeholders involved in the administration of these funds to ensure transparency and accountability in their disbursement.
One local commentator said it is important to highlight the impact of fronting activities on the local economy and the livelihoods of Batswana. He said by using locals as a front for foreign-owned businesses, opportunities for local entrepreneurs are stifled, and the economic empowerment of Batswana is hindered. The Ministry’s warning of heavy penalties is a call to action for all stakeholders to work together to eliminate fronting activities and promote a level playing field for local businesses.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s warning of heavy penalties for fronting activities is a necessary step to protect the integrity of local industries and promote economic empowerment for Batswana. “It is imperative that all stakeholders comply with regulations and work towards a transparent and accountable business environment. By upholding the law and cracking down on illegal activities, we can ensure a fair and prosperous future for all Batswana.”
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Merck Foundation and African First Ladies mark World Health Day 2024
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany marks “World Health Day” 2024 together with Africa’s First Ladies who are also Ambassadors of MerckFoundation “More Than a Mother” Campaign through their Scholarship and Capacity Building Program. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation emphasized, “At Merck Foundation, we mark World Health Day every single day of the year over the past 12 years, by building healthcare capacity and transforming patient care across Africa, Asia and beyond.
I am proud to share that Merck Foundation has provided over 1740 scholarships to aspiring young doctors from 52 countries, in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties such as Oncology, Diabetes, Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine, Endocrinology, Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, Acute Medicine, Respiratory Medicine, Embryology & Fertility specialty, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Emergency and Resuscitation Medicine, Critical Care, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Neonatal Medicine, Advanced Surgical Practice, Pain Management, General Surgery, Clinical Microbiology and infectious diseases, Internal Medicine, Trauma & Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Cardiology, Stroke Medicine, Care of the Older Person, Family Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Obesity & Weight Management, Women’s Health, Biotechnology in ART and many more”.
As per the available data, Africa has only 34.6% of the required doctors, nurses, and midwives. It is projected that by 2030, Africa would need additional 6.1 million doctors, nurses, and midwives*. “For Example, before the start of the Merck Foundation programs in 2012; there was not a single Oncologist, Fertility or Reproductive care specialists, Diabetologist, Respiratory or ICU specialist in many countries such as The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Guinea, Burundi, Niger, Chad, Ethiopia, Namibia among others. We are certainly creating historic legacy in Africa, and also beyond. Together with our partners like Africa’s First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Gender, Education and Communication, we are impacting the lives of people in the most disadvantaged communities in Africa and beyond.”, added Senator Dr. Kelej. Merck Foundation works closely with their Ambassadors, the African First Ladies and local partners such as; Ministries of Health, Education, Information & Communication, Gender, Academia, Research Institutions, Media and Art in building healthcare capacity and addressing health, social & economic challenges in developing countries and under-served communities. “I strongly believe that training healthcare providers and building professional healthcare capacity is the right strategy to improve access to equitable and quality at health care in Africa.
Therefore, I am happy to announce the Call for Applications for 2024 Scholarships for young doctors with special focus on female doctors for our online one-year diploma and two year master degree in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties, which includes both Online Diploma programs and On-Site Fellowship and clinical training programs. The applications are invited through the Office of our Ambassadors and long-term partners, The First Ladies of Africa and Ministry of Health of each country.” shared Dr . Kelej. “Our aim is to improve the overall health and wellbeing of people by building healthcare capacity across Africa, Asia and other developing countries. We are strongly committed to transforming patientcare landscape through our scholarships program”, concluded Senator Kelej.
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Interpol fugitive escapes from Botswana
John Isaak Ndovi, a Tanzanian national embroiled in controversy and pursued under a red notice by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), has mysteriously vanished, bypassing a scheduled bail hearing at the Extension 2 Magistrate Court in Gaborone. Previously apprehended by Botswana law enforcement at the Tlokweng border post several months earlier, his escape has ignited serious concerns.
Accused of pilfering assets worth in excess of P1 million, an amount translating to roughly 30,000 Omani Riyals, Ndovi has become a figure of paramount interest, especially to the authorities in the Sultanate of Oman, nestled in the far reaches of Asia.
The unsettling news of his disappearance surfaced following his failure to present himself at the Extension 2 Magistrate Court the preceding week. Speculation abounds that Ndovi may have sought refuge in South Africa in a bid to elude capture, prompting a widespread mobilization of law enforcement agencies to ascertain his current location.
In an official communiqué, Detective Senior Assistant Police Commissioner Selebatso Mokgosi of Interpol Gaborone disclosed Ndovi’s apprehension last September at the Tlokweng border, a capture made possible through the vigilant issuance of the Interpol red notice.
At 36, Ndovi is implicated in a case of alleged home invasion in Oman. Despite the non-existence of an extradition treaty between Botswana and Oman, Nomsa Moatswi, the Director of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), emphasized that the lack of formal extradition agreements does not hinder her office’s ability to entertain extradition requests. She highlighted the adoption of international cooperation norms, advocating for collaboration through the lenses of international comity and reciprocity.
Moatswi disclosed the intensified effort by law enforcement to locate Ndovi following his no-show in court, and pointed to Botswana’s track record of extraditing two international fugitives from France and Zimbabwe in the previous year as evidence of the country’s relentless pursuit of legal integrity.
When probed about the potential implications of Ndovi’s case on Botswana’s forthcoming evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Moatswi reserved her speculations. She acknowledged the criticality of steering clear of blacklisting, suggesting that this singular case is unlikely to feature prominently in the FATF’s assessment criteria.