What hat was DK wearing?

GREG KELEBONYE
Staff Writer | Thursday September 23, 2010 00:00

 

DK's peace efforts resulted in the halting of a massive strike organised by the trade union conglomeration BOFEPUSO. Until that last minute, Batswana across the country were bracing themselves for the strike, which would affect all sections of the public service except disciplined forces. Even the health personnel including nurses, doctors, ambulance drivers and other ancillary staff would also join.

The strike was not to be as DK entered the scene only hours before the action, and convinced the trade unions that it would not be necessary to strike. Government would pay the salary arrears owed to the workers by end of October. With government having committed itself, there was no longer reason for the workers to strike. There have been questions about the role of DK in the mediations as he is neither a minister nor a member of the parliamentary labour relations committee. There have also been suggestions that he leveraged on his relationship with Manual Workers Union boss, Johnson Motshwarakgole? Kwelagobe and Motshwarakgole are cousins and friends?

'No, I was not leveraging on Motshwarakgole. In fact, he only came towards the end when we had almost finished our discussion. The one man I was talking with is Motsamai,' he said when approached by Mmegi. However when asked in what capacity he was talking to the trade unions, Kwelagobe gave a curt: 'Let us say I will call you', before taking off saying he was in a hurry.

At the time he was attending a Bakwena tribal meeting, but left before it adjourned. Union leaders say they understand DK came as chairman of the rulling party. 

'Our discussion at some point involved the BDP labour relations committee, which I would like to assume, engaged Rre Kwelagobe as the party chairman. It was not the first time that we had had discussions with the BDP labour relations committee. Even at the time of the stand-off we engaged them. At some point during the stand-off they told me that Rre Kwelagobe would address us,' said Motsamai. 

He continues: 'When I realised that the strike would be starting in a day, I approached Rre Kwelagobe and asked him if he would be meeting with us, hence our meeting. However the BDP labour relations committee can explain better'.  Motsamai would not say if it was Kwelagobe's efforts or the reality of a strike that convinced government to commit itself.

'However, I want to believe that the mobilisation that we did around the country convinced government to change course,' he said.  He suspects that government had already made a decision to pay by October even as DK was coming to discuss with them.

According to BDP executive secretary, Comma Serema, there is nothing unusual with his party's chairman meeting with the unions, as the BDP government is the one in office. At the end of the day, government policies have to align with the BDP roadmap. However he says it was not the BDP that initiated the discussion with the unions. 'The unions wrote to us as they wanted us to discuss the standoff and the strike. The Central Committee mandated Rre Kwelagobe to meet with them, hence the Saturday meeting,' he said.