Teachers complain about Kerekeng flats
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Wednesday April 27, 2016 11:45
The flats, which are said to have also turned into a habitat for bats, houses teachers from Gaborone, Ledumang and Naledi senior schools. According to Mmegi sources, the flats are dilapidated to the point where one can see outside through the ceiling and the roofing.
Tenants at the Kerekeng flats have revealed that they have complained to authorities about these flats several times.
They said their complaints have been ignored as no real action has been taken to fix the flats.
It is said that some of the tenants have been forced to share rooms, as they could not stay in their rooms.
They lamented that their health and safety have been compromised as the houses have bats droppings all over.
Some of the materials fall from the roof proving that the flats are unsafe. One teacher's child was severely injured while walking in the apartment.
They said their respective school heads are aware of their living conditions.
“The employer is aware of our situation. These buildings have not been in good shape for quite a long time.
They have not been maintained for a long time. But even when they do maintenance, they just do minor things like painting,” claimed the sources.
“We have also raised our complaints with our union and they have been here to see what we are talking about.
Our employer expects us to produce good results while we live under such conditions.
This is not good because no one can have peace of mind while living in these kind of conditions.”
When contacted for comment Botswana Secondary Teachers Union (BOSETU) secretary for safety and health, Monica Legwale confirmed that indeed their members have reported the matter to them.
She said they visited the said premises following complaints from their members where they realised that the flats were inhabitable.
“Indeed the apartments condition is so bad and not good for people to live in. They are just not habitable.
We are concerned about the conditions of service.
When we talk occupational health and safety we don’t only mean in the workplace but also where they stay,” she said.
“If teachers stay in an environment that exposes them to many hazards and the employer is not doing anything, yet expect them to perform, its worrisome.
It is like we are focusing on results yet we are not taking care of the human resource and this happens mostly with MoESD because other ministries don’t give such houses to their staff.”
She said these are depressing conditions that can lead to stress. She said the lack of a national act on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) has also created too much problems.
Legwale said the lack of OSH shows there is no political will. She said that while the union has been teaching their members issues of wellness, the employer on the other hand has failed to live up to standard.
She encouraged the ministry to live up to its responsibility of maintaining schools in the country.
Meanwhile the public relations officer at the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD), Silas Sehularo said that he is aware that two houses at Kerekeng flats are not in a good state after roofing was blown away by the wind.
He said the flats are in the project plan and will be maintained soon.
“An expression of interest has been issued already.
As soon as all the procurement processes for tender are completed, maintenance will start. At the moment I can’t give an exact date,” he said.
He said although there have been concerns about the condition of the Kerekeng flats, the said flats were last renovated in 2014.
He admitted that the state of teacher’s housing around the country is a concern for the ministry and has been made a priority in the projects development under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP).