A chain of work permits granted under dubious conditions to foreign employers in various local industries has exposed Batswana workers to poor labor conditions, putting Minister of Labour and Home Affairs Pius Mokgware and the Umbrella for Democratic Change administration under scrutiny.
The UDC administration had projected itself as human rights-centered ahead of the 2024 general election, but the main opposition Botswana Congress Party and trade unions continue to cast aspersions on that claim.
Nkange Member of Parliament and Public Accounts Committee member Motlhaleemang Moalosi has been exposing labor malpractices by foreign employers against citizens, particularly in the construction, agriculture and mining industries.
Moalosi on Monday challenged the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs over the trend under which some foreigners granted work permits as investors subject Batswana employees to harsh employment conditions. His motion called on government to immediately establish a high-level task force to investigate foreign work permit abuse and noncompliance with citizen subcontracting mandates on government projects.
The UDC majority in Parliament rejected Moalosi’s motion. Following the rejection, several local employees of companies holding government and parastatal contracts took to social media to expose poor conditions of service.
Some employees, even in senior positions, told the Business Weekly & Review that foreign counterparts in similar supervisory roles have direct contacts with senior officials in the Ministry of Labour, contributing to Mokgware’s failure to act.
UDC JUSTIFICATION
Mokgware, while leading the UDC’s rejection of Moalosi’s motion, said he has engaged some of the companies Moalosi referenced as hubs for workers’ rights abuse and that an inter-ministerial task force has been established to address the issues.
He said he has directly engaged with executives of those companies and promised change in line with the UDC administration’s commitment to better conditions of service, including paying the P4,000 living wage.
Answering a question in Parliament recently, Mokgwaresaid many companies have used permits issued for farm workers as a backdoor to recruit foreign nationals for other sectors. He said such recruits are often given higher positions of power in companies owned by relatives contracted for work in Botswana by government, state-owned enterprises or the private sector.
Mokgware revealed that enforcement operations supported by the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services conducted raids at Khoemacau Mine and Jindal Power Botswana’s Mmamabula operation, leading to the arrest of individuals found to have broken the law.
Jindal Power was charged with a P45,000 fine in relation to labor malpractices, Mokgware said.
Moalosi stood his ground in opposing Mokgware and the UDC’s rejection of his motion, arguing that work being done to address workers’ concerns is insufficient.
Moalosi said the UDC administration is compromised and that he is worried that multinational companies caught in workers’ rights abuses are financially backing the UDC.
Moalosi said it was unfortunate for the UDC to be supporting workers’ abuse, adding that the working class had placed much faith and hope in the UDC regarding workers’ protection rights, but that hope has not been realized.
