Sale of Morupule B is security threat � BOFEPUSU
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Thursday December 22, 2016 14:24
Last month it was reported that government had appointed a team to negotiate the proposed acquisition of the 600MW Morupule B power plant by a Chinese company, China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC). The move to sell the plant came as a shock to many, including workers but government backed its decision saying it was stimulated by the current strategy to turn around BPC’s financial position with regard to reducing operating costs and establishing Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to relieve the corporation’s financial burden.
Speaking at a special congress held over the weekend in Tlokweng, the federation’s deputy secretary general, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa said the government’s decision was risky.
“These people could decide to switch us off anytime and you can imagine what will happen,” he said.
Motshegwa said what was “glaring” is that government had lost billions of pula to another Chinese company building the plant, only to sell the plant for less.
“Botswana is rich in minerals and natural resources but its workers and citizens remain poor. The distribution of wealth has been designed to benefit a few,” he said.
On salary increment issue, Motshegwa said BOFEPUSU is not fighting the three percent salary increase for 2016/17 but rather fighting to defend the principles of the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSBC) and the bigger principle of collective bargaining.
“The Federation believes in a salary increase that will meaningfully change the lives of the workers,” he said.