Workers Frown As Steel Galaxy Makes P1m-Valued Donation

Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday May 25, 2020 14:52

Steel Galaxy Botswana donated 20,000 disposable surgical masks, 30,000 medical gloves and 10,000 disposable gowns valued at P750,000. The company also donated P255,000 in cash to the COVID-19 Relief Fund

This is despite the fact that the company had applied for wage subsidy from government and paid nothing out of its own coffers.

“This is really painful that we work this much for this company and they do not pay us full salaries despite having money. What hurts the most is that before we saw the social media post about the donation, we had been complaining that we were not even given the money from BURS in full, as we were given less than half of our salaries even for those earning less than P5,000. They should have at least given us our full halves from the government,” an employee bemoaned.

The employees said life was difficult for them, as landlords and other creditors are demanding their payments while the employer told them they were only being paid as the government directed.

They also decried that they could not even get food from government since they are employed while they were left with little money to survive on. The employees have already lodged their complaint with Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) over being given less than half of their salaries.

While they were still awaiting help from BURS, their employer went on to make a donation to a total value of P1 million. According to a list published by government, Steel Galaxy claimed P70,012.09 from government to pay half salaries for their staff. Learning through the Ministry of Health and Wellness Facebook page that their bosses handed over to Vice President Slumber Tsogwane personal protective equipment and a lump sum donation just rubbed salt into their wounds. The donation includes 20,000 surgical masks, 30,000 surgical gloves and 10,000 disposable gowns to the value of P750,000 and cash amounting to P255,000, which will go towards the COVID-19 Relief Fund. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development, Kabelo Ebineng was on public television recently slamming companies that diverted staff salaries towards the COVID-19 Relief Fund contributions. Contacted for a comment, Steel Galaxy director Hu Zhongwen said they paid according to the guide provided by the government.

“We do everything according to guidelines and we paid according to what the government said is to be paid during the pandemic,” he said.

When pressed further on why he did not give employees full salaries, as it appears his company was capable, and also as to why they did not pay the full halves from BURS, Zhongwen promised to get back to this reporter. He had however not done so by press time.