Striking workers gather at Chedu Choga

EDAWRD BULE
Correspondent | Thursday April 21, 2011 00:00

It is here that President Ian Khama addressed a big rally last year where he dismissed the then newly formed Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) party.

A few weeks later the same place hosted BMD supporters where leaders justified the split from the Botswana Democratic Party. It is in the same spirit of togetherness that since the beginning of the public sector strike on Monday, Chedu Choga is ablaze with union cadres as crowds rally together in animated singing, dancing and fiery speeches, in a show of solidarity against government's resistance of a much-needed salary increase.

Tshekotsheko Lekang, the Regional Secretary of the Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) said in an interview with Mmegi that there is a lot of commitment by the workers to sustain the strike until April 29th. Lekang said the Easter holidays will give the workers the necessary break to regain their strength to continue until the end.

He however expressed misgivings at the government's replacing of striking labour with temporary workers, action that is contrary to the agreement signed with BOFEPUSU, mainly that a worker can only be replaced after 14 working days. He says that, according to the agreement signed with their employer, a worker can only be replaced at the end of 14 days.

He says that as government is illegally engaging relief workers in place of those on strike and because it has been forcing some people to go back to work, BOFEPUSU is prepared to go to court if the salaries of members are deducted because of the strike.

Lekang adds that because 30 percent of their workers have continued to work means that there has been production not complete abandonment. 'We should be paid our full wages because we are serving, the 30 percent that remained working are our members. We are providing the needed manpower,' he said.

The BOFEPUSU official warned government against breaching the strike rules as the union would have no choice but to escalate the situation. He says they have the option to expose government internationally by appealing to trade unions in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa to barricade the borders. He adds that if need be, they might be forced to work with opposition parties for an effective counter against the government. 

Lekang said that the business community in Francistown supports the workers' demand for a salary increment because that would help their businesses He avers that as government employees are underpaid, they are not able to give their children the best in terms of education. He said this is not good for the economy as the country will forever be in need of skilled manpower.

Meanwhile, hawkers have flocked to the assembly point where they are selling goods such as airtime, fruits, cooked food and water. Oteng Otlaadisa and Matilda Mmereki, who say they normally sell their wares in the mall, have relocated to the Chedu Choga grounds where they admit business has been brisk.