Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) has condemned the Botswana government for failing to speak up against the government of Zimbabwe’s oppression of workers but instead fought alongside her counterpart at the recent International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva.
The Zimbabwe and Swaziland governments were brought before the ILC committee of Application of Standards for failure to domesticate some ILO conventions and Botswana intervened on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).Addressing the media this week, BFTU President, Bohithetswe Lentswe said they were disappointed by Botswana’s response. He said Zimbabwe failed to domesticate the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention while Swaziland continues to violate Convention 87, which talks about Freedom of Association and Protection of the right to Organise. He said Botswana also speaking on behalf of SADC countries as the chair of the region defended Swaziland and expressed confidence that the country would resolve the matter and be put to finality.
“It is not a secret anymore of what is happening to the workers in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe was not appearing for the first time before this committee for breaching the ILO Convention. The severity of these breaches, notably the serial physical and psychological attacks on workers and their trade union leaders are worrisome. Now Botswana instead of condemning this, requested that Zimbabwe be given another chance to sort herself. Botswana further said since Zimbabwe is going through constitutional reforms she is confident that things will be restored to normal”, he said.
Lentswe said as Zimbabwe’s neighbor, Botswana government knows very well the implications felt by the country and its citizens due to the way the Zimbabwean government is treating its workers. The president said workers in Zimbabwe are abused which forces some of them to flee to Botswana. He explained that the conference has however agreed that a commission of inquiry of experts should be sent to Zimbabwe and Swaziland to investigate. The commission is expected to report back in September this year. He said BFTU as a member of World Workers Actors, strongly believes in social dialogue and they condemn with outright the decision of Botswana Government to condone the bad behaviour exhibited by Zimbabwe and Swaziland.