MP Decries Exploitation By Security Companies

PATRICIA MAGANU
Staff Writer | Monday February 1, 2010 00:00

 

Speaking at the annual labour officers conference in Francistown last week, he said that his office is overwhelmed by complaints about employees who feel cheated by their employers, especially security companies. Mmolotsi said that when the workers are hired, they do not read their contracts until there is a conflict between them and the employer.'It is only when they are dismissed or aggrieved that the contracts are read to them,' he said.

He urged the Department of Labour to encourage employers to read and explain contracts to employees at the time of hiring. 'Some people cannot read or write and they find themselves in difficult positions when they are dismissed, end the contract (or when) they simply want to leave the jobs,' said Mmolotsi. He urged the department of labour to educate people about the importance of knowing their contracts or having contracts when they are hired. The workers should be told about leave pays and the importance of notices. 'People will come to my office to report an employer but when I look at the contract, I will see that they signed and agreed to that contract without even knowing it,' he lamented.

Mmolotsi said that educating people about such matters will make them understand their rights and contracts and reduce complaints borne out of ignorance. He said that some security companies hire people without contracts and it is important to establish whether this is deliberate or not. 'Security companies need to be given a thorough inspection because of the people who are affected by maladministration are from security companies,' he added.

He said that the department of labour needs to probe expatriates brought into the country by companies because most of the jobs they do can be done by Batswana. He said the department needs to take reports of sexual, emotional and physical abuse by employers seriously. He stressed that employers are taking advantage of illiterate people and the department has to do something about it.