Union celebrates Kemoeng's departure
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday March 2, 2024 06:00
The transfer comes at a time when school sport negotiations move at a snail's pace and the unions had identified Kemoeng as a stumbling block. Speaking to MmegiSport, BOSETU secretary-general, Tobokani Rari, said Kemoeng's removal from the Sport ministry is a positive development.
“He has been retrogressive concerning school sport negotiations; he has been a stumbling block. He has done nothing positive to see school sport being resuscitated, save to stand in its way,” he said. Rari said Kemoeng is the very person who collapsed progress after the Sport minister, Tumiso Rakgare, had done all the spade work for unions to sit at the negotiating table with the ministry to discuss proposals for the resumption of school sport. “He was arrogantly anti-engagements on this issue, so his disposal to the Public Service College, which has become a holding cell for non-delivers is a welcome development,” Rari said.
Regarding the incoming permanent secretary, Rari said they are hopeful that John will deal with the issues of school sport much better. He said John had been with the Ministry of Basic Education at some point and she was not really a 'bad' permanent secretary in terms of decision-making. “She understands the intricate role of sport in the holistic development of a child and the parental role of teachers on students. It was during her time at the Ministry of Education that the decision to cede school sport to MYSC was taken,” Rari said. In an interview with MmegiSport last month, Kemoeng denied that he was a stumbling block to school.
“I am not the stumbling block for the return of sports like the unions say," he said at the time. Kemoeng argued that the issue of remuneration was between the employer, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, and the employee (teachers). There were proposals which Unions had put before the table for the sport ministry to consider.
“Parliament has only passed the incentive policy and this is the only policy that we can use to negotiate with the unions and remunerate them on a voluntary basis. So they don’t want the volunteer incentive and now I cannot negotiate with them," Kemoeng said about the proposals from the unions.