• REVITALISING OODI WEAVERSJuly 29, 2025
    RelatedPosts REVITALISING OODI WEAVERS HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?   Foreign reserves get depleted • Debswana, De Beers move to help • preserve cultural heritage DEBSWANA Diamond Company and De Beers Group have embarked on a collaborative initiative to support… Read more: REVITALISING OODI WEAVERS
  • HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?  July 29, 2025
    RelatedPosts REVITALISING OODI WEAVERS HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?   Foreign reserves get depleted   Monitoring in limbo due to CD4, viral reagents shortage CALISTUS BOSALETSWE editors@thepatriot.co.bw   Botswana was hit by a shortage of CD4 and viral screening reagents… Read more: HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?  
  • Foreign reserves get depletedJuly 28, 2025
    RelatedPosts REVITALISING OODI WEAVERS HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?   Foreign reserves get depleted Significant drop linked to decline in diamonds revenue Reserves went down by P0.9 billion as 31st May 2025 Govt forced to borrow more and more Ndaba… Read more: Foreign reserves get depleted
  • Pennywise Investments (Pty) LtdJuly 28, 2025
    RelatedPosts Pennywise Investments (Pty) Ltd Solace Pty Ltd – Farm Worker CHOPPIES – Distribution Center Manager
  • Solace Pty Ltd – Farm WorkerJuly 28, 2025
    RelatedPosts Pennywise Investments (Pty) Ltd Solace Pty Ltd – Farm Worker CHOPPIES – Distribution Center Manager
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders
  • Login
  • Register
Saturday, August 2, 2025
17 °c
Gaborone
21 ° Tue
22 ° Wed
24 ° Thu
26 ° Fri
The Patriot On Sunday
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders
No Result
View All Result
Cart / $0.00

No products in the cart.

  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders
No Result
View All Result
The Patriot On Sunday
No Result
View All Result
Home News

‘Pay ex-BCL workers packages’ -BMWU

patriot by patriot
May 5, 2022
in News
240
0
Tsimako [R] and Phiri

Tsimako [R] and Phiri

491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
ShareShareShare
  • Mine Workers Union is disappointed by Masisi
  • Responses we got from OP are negative- Tsimako

BAKANG TIRO

editors@thepatriot.co.bw

RelatedPosts

HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?  

Cabinet hurts Speaker, MPs

BLLAHWU BLOCKED

Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU) have expressed disappointment over unfulfilled  promises by government, regarding the abrupt closure of BCL mine in 2016 and the subsequent dismissal of employees.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, BMWU president Joseph Tsimako blasted President Mokgweetsi Masisi for ignoring them after he previously engaged them in Selebi Phikwe in relation to unpaid packages to former BCL employees.

Close to 5 0000 miners lost their jobs when government decided to shutdown BCL mine in 2016. According to Tsimako, Masisi has deliberately neglected the union on affairs related to BCL. He said not all former BCL employees received their retrenchment packages after they were laid off.

“We have written to the president in our attempts to make follow up on commitments that he made to the union concerning the government paying retrenchments packages to former BCL. He met with us in Phikwe and he assured us that government will look at paying the packages. But today he neglected us as we have received negative response from his office,” said Tsimako.

 Tsimako said they will continue to fight until the government respond to their demands as a union. He added that the union is also frustrated by the Department of Mines over its reluctance to react promptly to the concerns raised by the BMWU around safety especially at Mupane mine.

“The safety of workers is highly compromised at Mupane mine. Just last week one employee passed away while on duty. We have pleaded with Department of Mines to undertake safety inspection but to no avail. We urge authorities to act when we engage them,” added Tsimako.

Mines Health Act

Meanwhile, BMWU Executive Secretary Kitso Phiri said there is need for Botswana to introduce the Act which focuses on the safety and health to repeal the existing act that focus on safety alone.

Phiri has indicated that ethics are compromised by doctors in mining influenced by the corporates.

“Some of the employees are forced to work when there are not in good condition. The health aspect of the employees is taken for granted by some of the mining companies who bribes the medical doctors to produce report that indicate that employee are fit to work while not,” he said.

According to Letsholo, the union have asked the Ministry of Minerals to formulate a new act in the form of health and safety that will allow for the establishment of compensation fund under which the mining companies will contribute certain profit to pay for diseases arising from occupational harm.

In addition, Phiri said the current existing legislation of Mines, Quarries, Works and Machinery (Amendment Act) of 1995 is ancient therefore a new sound legislation should be formulated.

He also said the labour inspection at the mines is done through Factories Act therefore it limit the inspectors in what to inspect because it doesn’t permit them to inspect health and safety.

Job losses

BMWU president Tsimako has said although the Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme (CEEP) adopted by Debswana is aimed at localizing mining projects it also have disadvantages.

He noted that Debswana will on June this year terminate contracts of Komatsu, Kanu and Barloworld.

“The termination of contracts for this companies which employ a significant large number of people will result in massive job losses due to the retrenchments. Debswana is terminating the contracts so to localize the mining projects due to CEEP. Its welcome development but on the other hand we foresee a situation of BCL when it was closed leading to job losses,” said Tsimako.

He said they anticipate the companies that will be contracted by Debswana to employ those who will be retrenched by Komatsu, Kanu and Barloworld respectively so as to save the jobs.

Meanwhile, Tsimako said there are in talks with PNR, a Canadian mining giant to employ the former BCL employees after it acquired BCL mine, a development which he said will save union too.

According to Tsimako, the closure of BCL mine affected many households and the union as well.

“BMWU had 14 000 members at a time when BCL was operational and after the mine was closed, our members dropped to around 10 000 and now we are at 6 000. This has affected our revenues as in the past we made P10 million per year but now we at P6 million,” he added.

Related

Get real time update about this post categories directly on your device, subscribe now.

Unsubscribe
Previous Post

BNFYL Congress on May 28

Next Post

Career Opportunities with Access Bank 

Related Posts

HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?  
News

HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?  

July 29, 2025
Cabinet hurts Speaker, MPs
News

Cabinet hurts Speaker, MPs

July 28, 2025
BLLAHWU BLOCKED
News

BLLAHWU BLOCKED

July 23, 2025
UDC govt on edge
News

UDC govt on edge

July 22, 2025
KwDC P13 million scandal
News

KwDC P13 million scandal

July 21, 2025
I’M NOT ASKING FOR CHANGE . I’M DEMANDING IT – BOKO
News

I’M NOT ASKING FOR CHANGE . I’M DEMANDING IT – BOKO

July 18, 2025
Next Post

Career Opportunities with Access Bank 

Please login to join discussion
  • REVITALISING OODI WEAVERSJuly 29, 2025
    RelatedPosts REVITALISING OODI WEAVERS HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?   Foreign reserves get depleted • Debswana, De Beers move to help • preserve cultural heritage DEBSWANA Diamond Company and De Beers Group have embarked on a collaborative initiative to support… Read more: REVITALISING OODI WEAVERS
  • HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?  July 29, 2025
    RelatedPosts REVITALISING OODI WEAVERS HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?   Foreign reserves get depleted   Monitoring in limbo due to CD4, viral reagents shortage CALISTUS BOSALETSWE editors@thepatriot.co.bw   Botswana was hit by a shortage of CD4 and viral screening reagents… Read more: HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?  
  • Foreign reserves get depletedJuly 28, 2025
    RelatedPosts REVITALISING OODI WEAVERS HIV/ AIDS fight compromised?   Foreign reserves get depleted Significant drop linked to decline in diamonds revenue Reserves went down by P0.9 billion as 31st May 2025 Govt forced to borrow more and more Ndaba… Read more: Foreign reserves get depleted
  • Pennywise Investments (Pty) LtdJuly 28, 2025
    RelatedPosts Pennywise Investments (Pty) Ltd Solace Pty Ltd – Farm Worker CHOPPIES – Distribution Center Manager
  • Solace Pty Ltd – Farm WorkerJuly 28, 2025
    RelatedPosts Pennywise Investments (Pty) Ltd Solace Pty Ltd – Farm Worker CHOPPIES – Distribution Center Manager
The Patriot On Sunday

© 2024 Copyright The Patriot On Sunday - Inspired by Search Mart.

Navigate Site

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact Us

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Cart
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders

© 2024 Copyright The Patriot On Sunday - Inspired by Search Mart.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?