It is disheartening, but not surprising, to learn that public sector unions want to show the government that they are serious about their demand for a raise through other means.
While we were hoping that by now the government and the unions would have reached a solution to the standoff over salary increase, we are worried that what we have always suspected might be in the offing after protracted negotiations have not yielded results.
Elsewhere in this publication, we carry a story in which a unionist, who is also a negotiator, has been given full support by striking workers as they agitate for regime change.
Unionist Tobokani Rari says the workers are now not only interested in fighting for a raise but want to change the government.
We did not think we were headed that way. But we were mindful that when people realise that their government has overstayed its usefulness they rise against that government prompted by a number of reasons. We dismiss at our own peril that the popular uprisings that swept across North Africa cannot happen here. The soaring food prices and lack of jobs propelled the people of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya to rise up against their governments with the ultimate goal being to remove leaders.
The situation that could be unfolding before us in the weeks ahead should get every one of us worried. While we do not want to be seen to be inciting and agitating for regime change, we cannot ignore the fact that the country’s civil service workforce is bitter; very bitter.
You only need to go to any of their daily gatherings.
The government is denying itself the opportunity to see the reality on the ground by refusing to allow the state media to cover the ongoing strike action. We suspect that either President Ian Khama is being fed distorted information or that the President does not take advice.
We wish to implore the President to depart from his earlier attitude towards workers.
He needs to engage former Presidents, religious leaders and embrace dialogue. The bedrock from which this nation has been built has been Ntwa kgolo ke a molomo. We need not remind the President who coined the expression.
The country must shun leaders who do not treat their citizens with dignity. A leader who spews inanities in public about men and women over a legitimate concern is a dangerous leader. The government’s control of the airwaves to censor news that may make Batswana to wake up from their slumber may prove to be ineffective. The advent of modern technology and the events that happened in North Africa have demonstrated that no matter how much the government tries to impose its propaganda on its people, it is bound to fail.
To the workers, we call on them to be sensible and be open minded with regards to proposals that Government may want to bring to the table.
It is only when they can demonstrate that they are considerate that, as trade unions, they will continue to inspire public sympathy and support.
Having said that we want to say it is very important for trade unions to stick to their demands.
They went on strike because they felt they needed pay rises.
We doubt very much that is a part of their mandate to now want to call for regime changes.
No matter how passionately they may feel against the current Government, it is very important to remember that this is a democratically elected Government that came into power just over two years ago, having garnered significant votes from the population.å
