About 600 government security guards who were last year told that they would all be retrenched in accordance with the government’s policy of privatising security services say that they still do not know what the future holds for them.
The guards, who were notified of this in September 2006, say that their bosses have not contacted them on the issue since last year.
According to one of the guards who preferred anonymity, they are currently working under great stress because of the uncertainty surrounding their jobs.
”We are just working and do not know what lies ahead; we do not know if we will still be employed the next day or not.” This situation, he said, is affecting their morale at work because they are uncertain about their future.
Another guard says that this only shows that they are regarded as nothing but objects with no feelings. If they were regarded as people, the guard says, those responsible would have seen to it that they are informed about new developments if any.
”If we were regarded as humans with feelings, those responsible would have long came to us to tell us about the developments,” said the guard.
That they were not regarded as humans, he said, was recently made clear by a Minister (name withheld) whom he said chased a security guard from his premises after using derogatory words to refer to him. He said even though their bosses knew about the incident, nothing was done.
Recently, the guards said that they were surprised when told to prepare to go to Mahalapye for physical training.
According to him, they had not expected this as they had in the past been told that they would be retrenched.
Asked if they have not asked their bosses about the issue, the guard who is a constable, says that they had expected that their immediate bosses would lead the way and ask their employer but now they think they will have to approach the Member of Parliament for Tonota South Pono Moatlhodi about the issue.
”He is a great man and finds time for people like us. If I was in Tonota South I will no doubt vote for him,” said the guard.
Spokesman in the Office of the President, Jeff Ramsay, was not available to comment. However, some months back Ramsay confirmed that they were privatising the security services in line with the government’s policy of privatisation.
The government has long privatised some security posts in the Attorney General’s department.
