Lobtrans trucks grounded as drivers' pay cheques bounce

BAME PIET
Staff Writer | Friday February 1, 2008 00:00

Some of the drivers say their pay cheques were not honoured. The drivers, who requested anonymity, say they became suspicious when they were paid with cheques instead of their salaries being deposited in their bank accounts as usual. 

'Those who were lucky got their salaries on Tuesday,' said one yesterday. 'But I was not so lucky as my cheque bounced this morning.'

The driver said he was on his way to deliver fuel when he was ordered to return to their offices in Gaborone and park the truck.

'Nobody is telling us what is going on,' said another driver. 'But we strongly suspect there is no money.'

The drivers say the latest developments have added to their woes of poor working conditions in which they travel long distances without any money to cover emergencies like mechanical problems or tyre bursts.

'We are paid little, and this is the same money we spend on our long distance trips,' the driver lamented.

The drivers, who do not belong to any trade union, say they do not know what the future holds or where to ask for guidance. They say they went to Lobtrans head office in Lobatse yesterday, but their superiors were not there.

They also say there is an unresolved disagreement between BP Botswana and Lobtrans over payment for fuel deliveries.

Lobtrans hauls fuel - diesel and petrol- from Durban in South Africa and distributes it to BP depots and filling stations around the country.

But when contacted for comment, BP Botswana's External Affairs and Marketing Executive Kgalalelo Mokgweetsi said she did not know of the situation Mmegi was enquiring about:

'All we know is that it is business as usual,' Mokgweetsi said. 'This is why all our filling stations are operating.'

She confirmed that Lobtrans trucks deliver fuel to BP depots in Gaborone and Francistown and to BP filling stations around the country.

Mmegi phoned Lobtrans head office in Lobatse where a woman who identified herself only as Magdeline said Lobtrans management were not ready to comment on the matter.

Lobtrans is a Lobatse-based road transport company and is part of the Asmal Group whose Chief Executive is Sam Asmal.

A Lobtrans sister company, Lobair, was among seven air transport companies from the southern African region that bid for a stake in last year's failed privatisation of Air Botswana.