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He stated that councillors feel insecure to leave their other jobs to do council work. He called for the implementation of the Merafhe Commission appointed to look into councillors conditions of service. "If the findings of the commission could be revisited, councillors will agree that they are not supposed to work." Bagayi added that unlike other workers, councillors should spend the whole day with the community they serve. "You must offer service and whether you sleep or not is none of their business. Then if you go to work the next morning how productive will you be?" Bagayi maintains that in this situation, a councillor would be serving two masters at a time. This becomes a problem when the council, the community and the boss wants the councillor at the same time. He said at times, a councillor would miss work to attend to council activities and this causes uncalled for frictions. However, another councillor, Molosiwa Molosiwa holds a different view. He sees nothing wrong with councillors holding separate jobs because they do have a plenty of time. He cited the example of those in council committees that meet only thrice a month. He said the Merafhe Commission had made resolutions on councillors' condition of service and salary adjustment but these were never implemented. "It recommended a monthly salary of P7,000 but currently councillors reach that much through allowances." Another councillor, Gaone Chamme said the dispute about councilors in formal employment is not new. He stated that there is no problem with councillors holding two jobs. "Councillors long made proposals that they should be considered as employees and be given incentives that will enable them to feel that they are workers." He said the government has selected a few findings of the Merafhe Commission and sidelined crucial sections that called for improvement of conditions of services for councillors. He stated that currently, there are no terminal benefits and pension funds for councillors. "There is no protection from the government on councillors' job security and the government believes that it is the discretion of the employer whether he wants to dismiss the council or otherwise." Chamme cited an incidence where they were dismissed from work by the BCL mine when they ran for political office.
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