Over 4,000 backlog cases at Industrial Court

The minister concerned, Peter Siele made these revelations during the request for P20, 120, 160, recurrent and development budget for 2010/2011."Cases registered by the end of 2009 stood at 2, 422 compared to 2008, when 1 768 case were registered. Out of the 2, 422 cases, 1, 834 were registered in Gaborone, 388 in Francistown, 120 in Maun and 80 in Selebi-Phikwe. Siele blamed provisions of the Trade Disputes Act for this backlog. In that regard, a Task Force headed by a Judge of Industrial Court was set up.

"The Task Force has recommended some amendments to the Act to improve the dispute resolution process and this includes: increasing number of days to be taken to mediate from 30 to 45 days; and making default awards and settlement awards enforceable," Siele said.