It is now public knowledge that the public sector strike has had debilitating effects on the national economy, on the livelihoods of Batswana and on the international reputation of Botswana as a peaceful and tranquil country. The strike is now on its third week and it looks as though civil servants are resolute in their demands for a 16% salary increase. They seem not to be in a hurry to go back to work. On Thursday fresh negotiations between government and Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) collapsed after government tabled the same offer of a conditional 5 % increase.
Meanwhile the strike continues indefinitely. Government’s no work no pay threat also has serious ramifications for those who do business with government, especially the private sector. There are already reports that the private sector is seriously crippled by lack of services, and delayed payments in government departments. Civil servants’ threat that they will not work to accelerate such payments means that companies will have to wait for months before they get paid for services provided. Students are also faced with prospects of serious failure if teachers’ do not cover up for lost time. In fact a lot of services will be affected.
It is even more worrying that the strike has become violent. Batswana are peace loving people. Civil servants have all along been demonstrating peacefully, without any reports of violence or brushes with the police. And now the students have joined the fold. It started off with Lobatse Secondary School, and now it has spread like wildfire throughout the country. But the violence that erupted in Molepolole on Friday is a serious cause for concern. While we believe that workers are within their rights to demonstrate, we view violence and breach of the law with disdain. We are peace loving people, and we do not condone violence in any way.
The eruption of violence should show the Presidency and government that the public service strike is taking a turn for the worst. It is now a national crisis. We implore both parties, government and trade unions, to ensure that this country does not go to the dogs.
We are very disturbed by the silence of the Presidency in this matter. While we agree that President Khama should not always be at the forefront of every problem, we believe that his word carries a lot of weight and will definitely do a lot to put the fears of Batswana at rest. We believe the Presidency should have done more to avert this national disaster. Even before the national budget was unveiled, and while unions were negotiating with government for a salary increase, President Khama announced that there will be no increment this year. The unions are right in denouncing such action, because it simply showed that government was negotiating in bad faith. The president has repeatedly told Batswana during his kgotla meetings that there will be no salary hike. But for him to say that public servants will not get an increase even if they strike for as long as they wish is simply disrespectful. Civil servants’ demand for a wage increase are justified. And so are government’s reasons for refusing to accord them that increase. But the two must negotiate like grown ups and people with mutual respect for each other. Such is the nature of Batswana. In our country consultation and botho are key.
We applaud Khama for addressing kgotla meetings. But his goodwill is compromised when he does not accord the same opportunities to public servants, especially because they need him more. President Khama should have found time to meet the trade unionists. He should have found time to meet the opposition party leaders. He should have found time to meet the ex presidents. Simply because all of these meetings were geared at resolving the public service impasse. But he seems to view the strike with disdain. He seems to think less of ordinary Batswana who are only asking their elected government to assist them to improve their way of life. His actions, in the face of such a problem, are indicative of a president who has failed in his duties. As a president, Khama is a father figure. He is a leader. He is the one to whom the nation looks at this time of need. But he seems not to be aware of this. While we expect him to be the voice of reason, his words and his tone make him sound more like a catalyst to this national disaster. In fact many believe that it is Khama alone who is refusing to give the public servants a raise. His popularity is waning. Many now view him more as a villain than as a messiah. And now Botswana stands at a cross roads. It is now the children who have taken to the streets. They are simply demanding to be accorded their right to education. But, alas, the strike has turned violent. And the nation looks to its leader with expectant and questioning eyes. “What shall we do?” they ask. Sadly there is only silence. No guidance. No reassurance. And when he does speak, many Batswana cringe at the tome of his words.
