Following numerous reports of ill treatment of workers in the tourism industry, labour and home affairs minister Pius Mokgware this week told the Maun business community that his ministry will take urgent action to address the reported abuse.
Mokgware revealed that the ministry continues to receive various reports of employee abuse, among them verbal aggression, low wages and long working hours – which all contribute to stressful work environment.
This he said goes further to the unfair treatment related to employment contracts, insurance issues, and poor living conditions.
Mokgware stated this during the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs consultative meeting with Maun business community that was held in Maun this week.
Mokgware has revealed that his ministry will soon conduct inspections in different tourism businesses and take actions as per the Labour Act.
“It is up to those who are abusing their employees to start addressing those issues, we are going to start having inspections and take the necessary actions as per the Labour Act, we are not going to accept a situation whereby employees are being insulted,” he said.
Mokgware lamented, “I have received the reports that some of Batswana are not addressed properly, they are given names using the ‘F-word’ by some of their employers, that is unacceptable, let us treat people humanely, we are all equal”.
Mokgware has encouraged the tourism companies to ensure that there is equality in the workplace. He also urged them to work together and come up with different ways of addressing the issues affecting the tourism industry.
He further indicated that the new Employment and Labour Relations Bill will address some working conditions issues.
In his remarks, HATAB Policy and Advocacy Manager, Dichaba Molobe said that there is a need for employers to respect their employees. Molobe noted that it is also important for the ministry to verify issues of workers abuse before taking actions for those that are accused.
Chobe Holdings Managing Director Lempheditse Odumetse has also stressed the need for the issues of abuse of workers in the industry to be addressed.
Odumetse appealed to the government to take immediate action against those companies that abuse their employees. He noted that there are companies in the industry that are doing things right.
