Moswaane blasts BDP for low Ipelegeng wages
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Wednesday January 25, 2017 18:00
Ipelegeng is a government initiative whose main objective is to provide short-term employment and relief whilst at the same time carrying out essential development projects that have been identified and prioritised through the normal development planning process. Unfortunately, Moswaane was not amused by the government’s tendency to ‘abuse’ desperate Batswana by paying them pittance wages.
When addressing multitudes at the Monarch Customary court Monday, Moswaane said that he did not condone the meagre wages paid to the Ipelegeng workers. “I am not impressed by the amount received by the Ipelegeng labourers. It is so painful for someone to receive P550 as his or her wage to take home. How can one sustain a living with such an amount? The government should reconsider the amount and at least increase it to P800,” he suggested.
The maverick politician who has a penchant of attacking his government and party further said that it was unfair to give someone P550 whereas they spend over P1,500 on their groceries and other needs. He added that Ipelegeng labourers should work all day and be given an increase of P250.
Moswaane revealed that the workers should also learn to invest in micro-businesses such as hawking sweets and snacks so that they can improve their standards of living. The MP urged the labourers to be wise and save their money instead of indulging in wasteful activities such as alcohol, cigarettes and drugs. During the questions and comments session, Josiah Tabona pleaded with the MP to raise a motion about the increment of the old age pensioners’ wages as well. “We are getting P330 per month and the money is not enough to cover for our basic needs,” he said. Tabona also raised an issue with the three months extended period for the Ipelegeng food caterers complaining that it is too long and leads to loss or insufficient profit.
“We should go back to the one month contract that was used before. During the one month supply the caterers used to make more profit,” he said. When responding to Tabona’s comment, Moswaane said that he would raise a motion about the increment of old pensioners’ income to between P500 and P1,000.
He revealed that the World Bank states that a person should consume $1 per day, which is equivalent P10. “We understand that the economy is not doing well but we can’t stop living because of that. The government should do more in taking care of its people,” he said. Moswaane noted that as for the Ipelegeng supply contract, the government should reconsider it to one-month.