There is no doubt that the cost of the strike to government and the nation will be enormous once everything has been quantified. We believe it will run into several millions a day. That the cost is likely to shoot up should the strike continue beyond May 13 is undeniable. Having said that, it is moot to talk about how important a national issue the strike is. It is so important that it should worry everyone in government, especially the President. But sadly, President Khama appears not to have grasped nor appreciated the implications of this strike. Granted, government sees things from a different perspective, but the bottom line is that the nation and the economy are taking a great battering from the effects of this walkout. Private businesses are equally affected and a myriad of problems whose effect will radiate into the future are rising with each passing day. Already, for example, there is the outstanding issue of secondary school students whose education has been severely affected. The teachers and the unionists are coming up with countermeasures whenever government says it will penalise them for taking part in the strike. The teachers have said that they will not teach modules that they should have taught during the strike should government go ahead and implement its No-Work-No Pay policy. After insisting that the health sector was not affected, government rushed to court last week and complained that the strike had crippled the sector. Now the health workers are looking for ways to counteract whatever judgement is given against them. Last week the Minister of Local Government instructed Dikgosi around the country not to allow BOFEPUSU representatives to address their subjects at the dikgotla. Not unsurprisingly, two Dikgosi have decided to defy Mokalake. We wait to see what the reaction of the other Dikgosi will be. However, one thing is certain: The defiance by the Dikgosi shows that government is on a collision course with the traditional leaders. These leaders have the support of their tribes. In defying government these leaders know that they have the full backing of their people. In defying government the leaders are also daring government to take action against them. This scenario portends catastrophe. So we once again urge government to move with speed because pretty soon, the strike will mothball into one mighty, multi-threaded issue. So multi-threaded that government will not know, which thread to pull to undo the contorted knot. So far some representatives from government, the DPSM, the Minister for Presidential Affairs, especially have been pulling at some of the threads... But the magnitude of the strike calls for more than the minister or the DPSM. It calls for the President himself. Many questions remain unanswered in the mind of the nation, questions that can only be answered by the President himself. Quite disturbingly the president has been quite. He has not addressed the nation either through any of the government's media or by calling a press conference. He has refused to meet with leaders of the opposition. All he has done is to taunt the strikers from Kgotla meetings that he is addressing around the country. Mr President the nation is waiting to hear you. There is nothing as valuable as dialoguing with your people. Failure to address the nation is akin to abdicating responsibility. Surely that is not your intention.
Today's thought
