MoESD stalls on rent refunds
Maranyane Ngwanaamotho | Thursday April 17, 2014 15:26
The ministry has also not reduced the level of rentals the teachers have been paying over the years, despite the ongoing overcharges.
At present, MoESD figures peg rentals for a one-bedroom sitter at P342 and a two-bedroom flat at P608, while Kerekeng teachers union officials say a one-bedroom there costs P500 and a two-bedroom flat, P900. A three-bedroom flat costs P1,200, while the MoESD says its highest rental for any flat is P1,076.
Accommodation at the 50 units at Plot 2869 Kerekeng Flats has been more expensive than at all the other houses owned by the MoESD, teachers have claimed.
MoESD principal PRO, Silas Sehularo, confirmed to Mmegi that 50 teachers, who have been accommodated at Kerekeng Flats since 1996, first lodged complaints about excessive rentals with the ministry in 1999.
However, the MoESD has thus far not acted on the matter saying it is still in discussion with the Ministry of Lands and Housing to establish unitary rates for all institutional houses.
“After the establishment of unitary rates, that is when rates will be adjusted,” said Sehularo.
However, in 2010, then Assistant Minister of Education, Keletso Rakhudu told Parliament that teachers who had been overcharged at Kerekeng Flats would be reimbursed and the rentals reduced.
Sehularo said rental rates of institutional accommodation for teachers varies countrywide due to factors such as remoteness, type of house, number of rooms, size of the house, add-ons such as servant’s quarters, garages and so on.
“Houses rental rates range from P342 to P1,076 depending on the size of the house and add-ons like lockable garages and servant’s quarters,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ray Phosa, chairperson at Kerekeng Flats and a Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) shop steward, said teachers had been sent from pillar to post about rentals at the units. He said they had approached the South East region director, who could only describe the matter as ‘a hot potato’. The director in question could not be reached for comment.
“We are not getting any answers from the Ministry of Education. We are wondering what happened since Rakhudu’s announcement in Parliament that teachers would be reimbursed.
“But we are still waiting for the money,” Phosa said.