BOPEU bids Motsamai farewell
Innocent Selatlhwa | Thursday February 2, 2017 15:09
Speaking to the media, his predecesser Masego Mogwera hailed Motsamai for his visionary leadership, which she said grew the union tremendously.
“Motsamai’s leadership has stood the test of time as he led in growing the union. His sterling and visionary leadership has transformed BOPEU to being a union to be reckoned with. BOPEU has recorded exponential growth in membership from about 12,000 to over 34000, as well as grew its asset base distributed through the country during the presidency of comrade Motsamai,” she said.
She said under Motsamai the union became self-reliant which she said is crucial for a trade union.
“After the 2011 mother of all strikes, BOPEU employed all union members who were fired from work due to their participation in the strike. The union also paid all outstanding loans in financial institutions for its members who lost employment after the strike. This was made possible by the self reliance and strong investment arm of the union,” she said.
Amongst the many other accomplishments associated with his name at the union, his former first deputy praised Motsamai for ensuring that they establish their own labour college to train the shop stewards and members.
“Motsamai was highly instrumental in the formation of BOFEPUSU as a voice of workers.
Motsamai together with the collective leadership of BOPEU correctly believed that partisan politics is the scope of political parties, and not a trade union movement which houses members who belong to different political formations,” she said.
Mogwera said Motsamai was appointed to his new post after a special board meeting resolved that they could not lose Motsamai as chairperson to a lucrative government job.
“It was further resolved that Motsamai be offered an opportunity to be recruited as the executive chairperson basing on the experience and the commitment he had shown as he led the board and supported it administratively to grow its status,” she said.