Tshabang dismisses Batswana, Zimbabweans stereotypes
While it has been portrayed as gospel truth over the years that
Batswana are lazy and unskilled compared to their Zimbabwean counterparts, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Statutory Bodies and State Enterprises, Dr Never Tshabang has dismissed the notion as untrue. He has argued that Batswana’s demand for decent living has been mistaken for laziness and lack of skills.
According to Tshabang, who also serves as Member of Parliament for Nkange, Batswana are equally skilled and not lazy just like their neighbouring counterparts.
Tshabang was speaking at the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Statutory Bodies and State Enterprises, which ended recently. He also said Batswana are skilled and it was unfair that there is this comparison. “There is this issue that we like comparing Batswana with Zimbabweans.
Sometimes I find it very unfair that we say Zimbabweans can do hair dressing, can do this and that while we do have those skills amongst Batswana. But in terms of the desire to live a better life and work to get money, that’s where there is a difference,” said Tshabang.
“When someone wants to make a decent living and there is someone who is desperate to get something they can get, probably we need the law to protect this one.
If we are going to say ‘they are lazy or not skilled’ while they are not lazy and are skilled but are out-competed on the basis that the other can get anything they can get from the market because of the situation, and two different backgrounds,” he added.
Tshabang warned institutions from joining the bandwagon of dismissing “our own” and called for the need to protect Batswana without labelling them lazy and unskilled. He said all that Batswana want is better work and pay to match their skills in an endeavour to lead decent lives.
He said life has become expensive for an ordinary Motswana, as such they are forced to demand better work and pay while their Zimbabwean brothers and sisters will desperately take anything on offer.
He said institutions could capacitate locals and help turn around the situation adding that the comparison is like comparing apples with oranges. Tshabang’s comments followed remarks by the acting chief executive officer of the Human Resources Development Council (HRDC), Meshack Tafa who said that most of technical and vocational education and training skills are offered by Zimbabweans.
Tafa said there is a need to diversify the thinking of the curriculum to push the non-academic training and skills acquisition. He said the skills acquisition should focus on technical and vocational, combined with digitisation. “Our people should acquire skills that are usable.
We know that a lot of technical/vocational education skills are coming from our neighbouring Zimbabwe. I have made this comment before that ‘if you look at your phone now your plumber is Zimbabwean, your mechanic is Zimbabwean, your electrician and probably your hair dresser is also Zimbabwean’.
And these are the skills that our people should have. So government has to focus on getting our people acquire these skills,” said Tafa.
He added that with such skills, Zimbabweans have become entrepreneurs and in the process been able to employ a lot more other people. Tafa explained that as policy advisors, they advocate for Batswana to acquire vocational skills, combined with digitisation and entrepreneurial skills.
However, he acknowledged that maybe the comparison is unfair, noting that there are different variables that come into play as “our fellow neighbouring brothers may have certain levels of desperation that ours don’t have”.
Tafa maintained that there is need to impart soft skills that one needs to nurture a business, learn how to treat customers, be trustworthy and ethical. He also said HRDC has sector committees that advise government on the priority skills needed by the market.