Women’s lives in danger

 There are fears that a diamond cutting & polishing company (names withheld), which is known as a hotspot for sexual abuse in the diamond industry, could target and purge sexual violence victims during the ongoing retrenchment. Several women who were sexually abused have already left the company following their ordeal with a foreign national who had turned them into sex toys. Many years after several cases of sexual abuse were reported such as caressing, touching inappropriately, asking for sexual favours and non-consensual sex with female employees -the perpetrator is still calling the shots at the company. 

The company recently notified Botswana Diamond Workers Union (BDWU) about their plans to retrench workers. The Patriot on Sunday is in possession of an inspection report from the Ministry of Labour & Home Affairs detailing how the perpetrator, who is a manager, lured female workers to his house before pouncing on them. BDWU is furious that the ministry supposed to protect employees working in the diamond cutting and polishing industry has failed them. 

A planned protest by BDWU to the Office of the President was recently averted when the new minister of labour and home affairs, Pius Mokgware intervened. “We want to see government taking serious action to protect our own citizens from this act of rape in the workplace. We want to see action from the ministry level because this is not the first incident to be reported at this particular company,” reads a statement from BDWU. 

One employee at the company, whose identity has been protected, for fear of victimization expressed concerns that the company could target those who reported sexual harassment during retrench.

The union also expressed disappointment that the ministry has failed to act despite that the issue of Gender Based Violence (GBV) is topical, affecting many women. The union said it is disturbing that the perpetrator at the company still has his work and residence permits, and now uses his position to harass victims. “We ask the responsible minister to swiftly act on this issue and make sure that the man is removed from work,” reads part of the BDWU letter. 

BDWU Chairman, Dominic Mapoka said sexual violence incidents in diamond cutting and polishing companies are a major concern, and they want government to address it. He confirmed that they have since received a letter from the company about the looming retrenchment exercise. The BDWU letter to the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs also alerted them about the possibility of sexual harassment victims being targeted. They also pointed out that the ministry had failed to resolve the issue and they have been kept in the dark about any follow-up on the issue. 

Meanwhile, the Acting Commissioner of Labour, Veronica Moloko denied assertion that they were not consulting the union. “It is imperative to highlight that the inspectorate was working closely with members of Botswana Diamond Workers Union during the labour inspections (at the company). The BDWU branch reported the matter and we extensively consulted from the day they reported the matter to the Commissioner of Labour until the General Manager’s work permit was revoked,” said Moloko, reiterating that it is common cause that the ministry revoked the General’s Manager permit in August 2024. 

Moloko said that in the quest to address the sexual harassment allegations at the company, the ministry dispatched labour Inspectorate personnel to investigate the matter. “The Inspectorate then referred the matter to Botswana Police for criminal investigations. The Commissioner of Labour and Social Security also engaged the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs to avail social workers to provide psycho-social support to the victims,” she explained. 

The Commissioner of Labour and Social Security report would also confirm the sexual violence targeting women who mostly aged between 25 and 35 who work for the company. The report indicated that they received reports from the company’s workers committee about complaints from female employees alleging that since 2021, the General Manager (GM) at the company directed some female employees to go and clean his house despite being employed and trained as diamond polishers. 

“When these female employees arrived at the residence of the General Manager, they were subjected to sexual harassment and violence in the form of inappropriate touching, unwanted sexual advances, sexual overtones, graphic comments and solicitation of sex,” reads part of the report, further noting that the workers committee has also indicated that on several occasions the manager had sex with some female employees against their will. 

The Department of Labour and Social Security conducted an interview with some of the victims after the company management failed to produce a report after they were instructed to undertake an investigation. According to the report the inspectors learnt that the Human Resources manager and General Manager were tasked to investigate the matter relating to sexual violence. The report also stated that the inspectors arrived to a conclusion that on the balance of probability, the General Manager sexually abused the employees even more. 

The report stated that the inspectors carried an investigation where they interviewed six female employees who availed themselves as victims of sexual harassment. It is in the report where three former employees revealed to the inspectors that they have since resigned as a result of sexual harassment from the same General Manager. 

“From the sample population, five employees pointed out that the General Manager had touched them inappropriately against their consent. The victims pointed out that they were very firm and direct in pointing out that they were against the General Manager’s actions. He, however, went against their will and gave them money amounting to P200 as a gesture to apologise every time after touching them,” reads part of the report. 

The inspectors also stated in the report that of the five who were touched and assaulted against their will, one revealed that she was raped by the General Manager and was given P200 in return. The report further noted that the victim revealed to the inspectors that she felt helpless and eventually submitted to the General Manager’s sexual exploits every time he demanded. “The same employee also alleged to have been continuously sexually molested by the father’s friend ever since the passing of her mother,” the report stated. 

It further state that when the inspectors quizzed the General Manager about the allegations last year, he pointed out that he had never had sexual encounters with employees. It is stated in the report that the GM made a U-turn and admitted that he had consensual sex with three employees arguing that some accusations were meant to tarnish his name.