Police Avert Strike

CALISTUS KOLANTSHO
Correspondent | Monday November 1, 2010 00:00

Synohydro is building Dikgathong Dam in Robelela. The police arrived on time to bring the situation under control. Commander of Selebi-Phikwe Police Station, Superintendent Victor Nlebesi, told the Monitor that the police had to be called after the employees became edgy and the situation teetered on violence.

Nlebesi said some company property was stolen and some other vandalized. 'The Assistant Project Manager was hit by a stone on the head,' he said.

'We are currently investigating the incidents. We do not expect people to resort to violence when they want their concerns addressed. Violence is not the answer to anything and is against the laws of Botswana.'

Nlebesi explained that Batswana employees locked out Chinese employees to prevent them from going to work, overpowering the company's security guards in the process. They used huge stones to block access to the company premises.

Nlebesi said employees were disturbing company operations because they were sitting inside its premises, which is also against the law. He explained that the workers do not have a union by means of which to present their grievances to management.

'I expect them to have a body responsible for communicating their grievances to the management,' the police chief said. In the end, however, the management and the workers reached an agreement that Nlebesi said he was not at liberty to divulge.

According to information reaching the Monitor, the workers were demanding backpays, overtime allowances and better working conditions.

Meanwhile, Nlebesi said the police are investigating a case in which a foetus was discovered behind a hill at New Stands here on Thursday last week. The foetus, which was wrapped in a plastic bag, was reportedly discovered by a passerby who alerted the police.

A middle-aged woman has been arrested in connection with the abandoned foetus.