Under Pressure BOPEU Must Put House In Order

Monitor Editor | Monday July 30, 2018 11:22

Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) seems to have had its own share of challenges, which intensified last year when the labour organisation decided to kick out its former president, who at the time was employed as the executive chairperson of BOPEU’s business wing, Babereki Investments. Many, of course might have thought that the dust will slowly settle, even though the organisation still has a number of court cases pending, but it looks like troubled waters at BOPEU are here to stay, if the weekend’s events are anything to go by. Unexpectedly, within roughly a year, yet another attempt was made to overthrow senior members of BOPEU, including its president, Masego Mogwera.

The meeting held at Cresta Lodge, suspended the president alongside general secretary Topias Marenga, first deputy president, Martin Gabobake, deputy secretary, Kethapeleng Karabo, and treasurer general, Aba Gabaike. The five members were allegedly suspended to observe articles 53.1 and 53.2, which address issues of secondment and remuneration of office bearers (president and treasure general), as well as sanctioning the implementation of the new BOPEU structure.

This constant bickering between BOPEU leadership is not doing the labour organisation nor its members any good. It actually has a potential to dismantle, disgruntle and demotivate its members, and in the process maybe lose some to other unions. These wars will most likely, damage BOPEU’s reputation, and perhaps cause uncertainty and lack of trust amongst its members. The union has a number of objectives, which will appeal to any employee, but of late, those objectives seem to have taken a back seat, as bickering and back-biting appear to dominating the union’s business.

The union needs to live up to its mandate and ensure that members’ interests are a top priority. Members pay subscriptions from their hard-earned salaries, and as such they deserve the best representation. One of the  labour union’s main objectives is “to represent employees on labour matters, which include negotiation, collective bargaining, enforcement of collective agreements, health and safety standards and safeguarding human rights”. Perhaps, the union should go easy on internal politics, and concentrate more on ensuring that they deliver on all its promises to its members.