FRANCISTOWN: The Botswana Federation of Public, Private and Parastatal Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) has reacted with anger to the government’s recent pronunciation on the rationalisation of state-owned enterprises.

Late last week, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mmusi Kgafela outlined how the rationalisation exercise will be undertaken.

Most notably he revealed that a consultant will be engaged to counter personal interests in the exercise.

He added that a board, a project team, as well as a communications team will be assembled as part implementing the rationalisation. But, BOFEPUSU has said it is against a trend where ministers and government officials continue to talk publicly about the issues affecting public servants and parastatals employees before engaging their representatives in this case unions.

“The position of the federation is that the minister is being disrespectful. He appears to be moving ahead of the process before any engagement has been done with concerned parties.

It is like a decision on how the rationalisation process will be executed has been taken before engaging key stakeholders on the matter,” BOFEPUSU secretary-general, Tobokani Rari told Mmegi this week.

Rari went on to say that it would have been appropriate for the minister to discuss some of the modalities of the restructuring exercise after engaging with trade unions and the employees before going public. “We want to be allowed to have an input on the process from an early stage (until implementation).

We are not saying government should entirely agree with us in terms of how the rationalisation process should be undertaken. It is however important that we be engaged thoroughly.

This is a matter (rationalisation) that directly border on the functions trade unions,” he said. He also reiterated that the government’s core aim should be to ensure that more jobs are retained after rationalisation has been completed.

“The government is already struggling to create job opportunities. That is why we do not want to see more people being ejected into the streets. If some of the jobs are to be outsourced, we want those who have lost their jobs (because of the rationalisation) to be given priority,” Rari told Mmegi on Monday.

The government is yet to confirm how many jobs might be lost as a result of the rationalization exercise, but various sources have speculated that the figure will be around 800.

The government came up with a rationalisation plan after it was realised that some ministries and state-owned enterprises have similar or duplicate responsibilities. Amongst others the rationalisation which was first announced by Masisi in March this year will see the functions of SPEDU being transferred to the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) within six months.

Additionally, BITC would merge with the Special Economic Zones Authority and the Botswana Tourism Organisation. The proposed merger will be executed within two years. The process of winding up SPEDU has already started. Kgafela recently briefed residents of Selebi-Phikwe about the impending close of business operations at SPEDU.