Gaborone North legislator Keeletso Rakhudu has accused Carafashions manager Victor Wang of taking advantage of the country's unemployment situation. The MP said that Wang is so productive oriented that he wanted his employees to work all the time though this is unreasonable.
"What if you are not feeling well? What if you are in your menstrual cycle," he asked. Rakhudu told Mmegi that 20 people approached him for help after they were sacked by the company. The dismissed workers claim they were fired for going to the toilet.
"I could only refer them to the labour office. But I was shocked to hear that their boss did not respect their personal liberties and it was disheartening to hear reports that some have been dismissed from work after falling pregnant," he said.
The Gaborone North MP informed Mmegi that he had been told by people working for the company that the situation is so bad that workers had to queue for toilets. "I also gather that they are firing people daily and replacing locals with desperate Zimbabweans who loiter around that place," said Rakhudu.
He revealed that his office is investigating reports of rampant sexual harassment by a senior Zimbabwean supervisor who normally facilitated the firing at the factory. "What they need is to unionise. With a union, their employer would start respecting them," he said. He added that plans are underway to see if all the factory workers in the knitting industry could not start a union.
When contacted Wang said all the workers were dismissed in line with labour laws. He accused local workers of laziness. He dismissed allegations of abuse inside the factory. "I do not allow anyone to abuse anyone. Bring evidence," he said. Carafashion is a foreign-owned garment-making company wooed into the country through Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority (BEDIA).
