The Labour Party this week welcomed a judgement of the Appeals Court on what is called the Botswana Land Board & Local Authorities & Health Workers Union (BLLAHWU) leadership crisis.
In a statement, the party’s Secretary General Kgakgamatso Kebiditswe explained that this is a matter in which a faction of the Union had expelled its First Vice President and Treasurer General because the duo challenged the illegal employment of Ketlhalefilwe Motshegwa as their General Secretary.
“The Court of Appeal has denounced such factional and self-serving decisions null and void. It is our hope that this will be a lesson to other unions because they are supposed to model good governance and ethical leadership,” he said. Kebiditswe said the case in point indicates power struggles and perpetuation of turf-wars rather than serving the interests of the poor and working class.
“This judgement is also a wake-up call on the corruption, abuse of power and lavish lifestyles of union leaders at the expense of the workers,” he said.
He added that; “As Labour Party we wish to challenge Union Leaders to review their roles in representing the interests of the working class.”
He said the initiation of the commercial wings of the Unions was to make sure that their bargaining power is not compromised by their financial dependence on the employer. However, these setups have now become looting grounds for the union leaders.
“We call on the Umbrella Bodies to create regulatory environment where there can be an ombudsman system in place against these abuses,” said Kebiditswe.
