Unions embrace Govt decision to buy BCL with reservation
Claim they were not consulted This is nothing new, we have long proposed for such initiatives - BFTU
Botswana Mine Workers Union ( BMWU) and Botswana Federation of Trade Unions ( BFTU) have welcomed and embraced with reservations government’s decision to buy over 1000 houses put up for sale by the BCL mine liquidator.
The unions cite not being consulted when government made the decision despite being the ones who have long made the proposal, but to their surprise only became aware of the decision when it was announced by Vice President, Slumber Tsogwane.
Had government not taken such a bold decision, another tragedy would have befallen the former mine workers as they had only up to independence anniversary, to have either committed to buy or packed and vacated the houses.
In an interview with Botswana Guardian, BMWU president, Joseph Tsimako appreciated and welcomed the decision.
“BMWU earlier this year asked government to reconsider its position on how it wants to dispose houses through selling to former BCL workers.
“We even suggested that since government has many schemes, amongst them, Self Helping Housing Agency ( SHHA), which are meant for lowincome earners, they should consider taking these houses from the Liquidator and give them to the people at
reasonable prices and terms and conditions.” The Union believes it is now a matter of the process put in place to dispose of the houses in order to benefit the already suffering masses who do not have the means to buy.
“It is common knowledge that the selling prices were completely outrageous and unreasonable. This is so because most of those houses are dilapidated”.
Giving an example with a house that was sold at P160 000, he said, it was a matter of buying the plot that the house was on, and either demolish the structure and build a completely new house, or spend more than the purchase price rehabilitating and or refurbishing the house.
Secretary General of BFTU, Thusang Butale concurred that BMWU over the years with BFTU assistance, pushed for former mine employees to be afforded
a decent life. One of the conditions put forward was calling for government to come up with conditions that would make it easier for the already hard- hit former miners. “It has taken long for government to hear our plea and react accordingly.” Further that the conditions and facts presented by government is not anything new, instead, it is part of what was presented to the minister of Minerals by the BMWU some years back during a meeting where BFTU was also present.
“At that meeting, one of the proposals brought forward was calling for government through the ministry to look at the housing crisis caused by the closure of the mine and how people stand to suffer if government cannot intervene,” he said. Butale further said this was at the time when former miners were given an extension, allowing them to continue staying in the houses. “As Unions put it blatantly that government should sell the houses to former employees at reasonable prices and terms and conditions, the liquidator was selling for profit.”
Butale added that they still do not know the conditions that come with the initiative in totality.
“We only became aware of this decision when it was announced by Acting President, Slumber Tsogwane. Our strong belief is that if Botswana is to push and conform to social dialogue principles, it should allow for discussion to take place before decision and pronouncement are made,” he said.
Observers and commentators have applauded the decision by government to get the houses out of the liquidation process because that brings numerous benefits among them, it gives unemployed ex- BCL employees reasonable time to negotiate with Government whilst also providing security of the assets to curb vandalism. Further, it gives SPEDU based companies a chance to negotiate housing for their employees, as well as assists companies like PNR who have bought some of the BCL assets including the Selebi Shafts 2 and 4 - and whose employment numbers are rapidly growing to better manage what seemed like a housing crisis. With PNR aggressive resource drilling programme which started in August 2023, PNR is edging closer to declaring a resource at Selebi North shaft which should give comfort to banks and other financial institutions to finance long term against the potential life of the mine. Commentators say, the move by the government is also expected to allow reasonable pricing as compared to that of the liquidator whose mandate is to sell the houses regardless of what happens to the future of the town of Selibe- Phikwe.
At the time of going to press, it was indicated that companies that have set up in the SPEDU region, such as Pula Steel who recently indicated their readiness to restart the steel making plant are also hopeful to benefit from this move by the government.
“A lot of companies had indicated the housing crisis under the liquidator as a threat to the future of their operations,” an observer said. The government has resolved to buy 1000 houses put up for sale by the BCL mine liquidator in order to avoid mass eviction of former BCL mine employees from the houses. Tsogwane announced government’s decision last Wednesday in a televised Btv national address.
He said the move would allow former BCL employees more time to purchase the houses or move out at a later stage as government will sell the houses at a later date if the current occupants fail to purchase them.