More truckers to lose jobs
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday February 16, 2016 15:41
The company, which fired 35 drivers late last year for allegedly stealing petrol, has written to employees informing them of its intention to retrench owing to the abrupt cancellation of a service contract by one of its big clients PUMA.
“They attempted to negotiate with our members without including us, but we stopped them. We wrote them a letter ordering them to stop. We know this is not an honest retrenchment.
“They want to fire all Batswana and hire South Africans as they have told us before,” BOTRAWU chairman, Kgomotso Panye told Mmegi. Panye further said the company has not done proper consultations, which would ensure that employees are prepared emotionally and would make sure that they are paid fairly if they are retrenched.
According to a letter addressed to all staff members and written by National Human Resources Manager, Elaine Govender, an independent human resources consultant has been appointed to facilitate the process. It has however not been revealed how many people will be affected.
Meanwhile the fired 35 drivers are expected to challenge their dismissal in court through Attorney Kgosietsile Ngakaagae. The dismissed truckers are crying foul that they were unfairly dismissed as the evidence used against them, a CCTV camera, was not to be trusted, as it could have been tampered with.
The axed workers are demanding a combined total of over P4 million in back pays due to being overworked during their varying terms of employment.