THE BOTSWANA GAZEttE WEDNESDAY 27 MAY 2020 KGOSI SUES PAGE 1 STATE FOR FAILING TO PROSECUTE WEDNESDAY 27 MAY 2020 FREE! HIM “Kitso ke maatla” PAGE 4 CASH-STRAPPED COVID-19 KGOSI & RELIEF FOOD PROGRAMME MAY STOP PAGE 6 MAGOSI'S PREMATURE BABY DIES AS SEKGOMA MEMORIAL DOCTOR NEGLECTS 'GUN FIGHT' MOTHER A bureaucratic doctor would not Seven firearms were touch a newly-born preterm baby that had complications when it confiscated in a raid at arrived in its desperate mother’s arms at Sekgoma Memorial a house belonging to Hospital in Serowe, only because the referring doctor at Selebi- former spy boss, Isaac Phikwe Hospital where the baby was born had not notified Kgosi, some time last Sekgoma in advance. Tragically, the baby was buried three days year. Kgosi is staking his later back in Selebi-Phikwe. claim on the weapons, so PAGE 4 are the DISS and MINISTER the DCEC. PROMISES MOBILE DATA STORY ON PAGE 3 PRICE CUT PAGE 5 PAGE 3 PAGE 2 NEWS WEDNESDAY 27 MAY 2020 THE BOTSWANA GAZEttE Gov’t To Go After Renegade Companies • Some continue to retrench employees during SoPE • Security companies top list of renegade employers • Some directors have disappeared without paying employees Muslim devotees wearing face masks as a preventive measure against the spread of the Coronavirus getting the temperature measure done before attending the special prayer to celebrate the Eid-al-Fitr festival marking the end of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan in Gaborone on May 25, 2020. (Pic:MONIRUL BHUIYAN/PRESS PHOTO) LETLHOGILE MPUANG decided to do what they want,” he said. “A salary is not a privilege but is a right overnment is to begin action if you are an employee. DCEC Probes MoH For against companies that have al- “If a company is not able to pay its Glegedly been violating regula- employees, they should sit down with tions of the State of Public Emergency them and satisfy them as to why they (SoPE), the Minister of Employment, are not able to pay them their full sala- Labour Productivity and Skills Devel- ries and the employees have to be con- COVID-19 Corruption opment, Mpho Balopi has revealed. vinced such that they agree. It has to be Balopi has confirmed that the ministry an agreement reached by the two parties. • Report focuses on tenders has concluded a report, which is most- All these are under the Employment Act ly filled with complaints and concerns which we have not suspended.” • DCEC has received report on misuse of funds of employees against their employers Minister Balopi noted that some com- since the declaration of the SoPE by panies had claimed wage subsidies and President Mokgweetsi Masisi in April. paid them to the employees as if the • Heads could roll “Government made it very clear that subsidies were their salaries. “Remem- LETLHOGILE MPUANG President Mokgweetsi Ma- ary action for corruption. there shall be no retrenchments as a ber (that) this is only a subsidy to help sisi. According to sources, A statement released result of COVID-19 (and) during this companies through the consequences he Ministry of and the awarding of CO- by the ministry yesterday period of State of Emergency,” said the of COVID-19,” Balopi pointed out. Health and Well- VID-19 supply tenders (Tuesday) tended to defend minister. “We did state that the Employ- “We do have such kinds of cases where ness is being in- form the main focus of the the flow of tenders of CO- ment Act has not been suspended.” people were paid only 50 percent from T vestigated for corruption probe. VID-19 supplies. “In view Balopi, who is also the MP for Ga- the government, which is wrong. It is and misappropriation of of the emergency situation borone North, noted that due to inter- against the Employment Act.” COVID-19 funds, The Newspaper of the pandemic and the in- ruption caused by the SoPE and the According to the minister, some com- Botswana Gazette has es- creased demand for medi- lockdown, government had created to a reports this week pany directors disappeared without pay- tablished. Reliable sources cal equipment required to wage subsidy scheme to assist all affect- ing their employees. say the probe is at a stage noted two tenders fight the pandemic region- ed companies. These subsidies ranged “Employees have reported all these where DCEC is interrogat- ally and internationally, between P1000 and P2500. that had already matters to us,” Balopi said. “We will ing a MoHW report on the the ministry will from time “Government did cite from the begin- soon be engaging directly with these awarding of Covid-19 ten- to time directly appoint ning that there were certain essential been cancelled. companies. Some companies have ders. companies to supply such services,” he said. “Food outlets and se- come forward and tried to correct some The head of DCEC, It is believed equipment to enable it to curity companies were among those that of these concerns. We are working 24/7 Brigadier Joseph Matham- fulfill its commitment of were never closed. However, we have that a number of to ensure that the interests of workers bo, has confirmed receiv- promoting and providing realized that much as that was the case, are protected. We have also engaged ing the report but would ministry staffers comprehensive, preventa- some of these companies, especially the tripartite Business through Business not elaborate. Contacting tive, curative and rehabili- security companies, decided to get rid Botswana and the federations.” the Minister of Health, Dr are likely to face tative quality health servic- of their staff or cut their wages. Some “We have all agreed that we will not Lemogang Kwape elicited es to the nation,” said the of these security companies are those disciplinary action allow workers to be exploited. We need an indifferent stance, with statement that was signed that have been engaged by government to ensure that the law prevails. We are the minister saying he was for corruption. by the Acting Permanent and parastatals. Government has not going to take action as per the law for on leave and not aware of Secretary at the Ministry reduced these companies’ dues at any companies who have not complied. I such an investigation. Newspaper reports this of Health, Baile Moagi. point during this period.” will make a proposition to government It is understood that the week noted two tenders The DCEC is said to Minister Balopi said some companies that once this thing is over, we have an alleged levels of corruption that had already been can- have received several re- were required to provide services such undertaking that only companies that at the Ministry of Health celled. It is believed that a ports alleging misappro- as transport for their staff members but have that have complied be the ones en- in the advent of the novel number of ministry staffers priation, misuse and abuse did not do so. “These companies just gaged by government.” coronavirus have upset are likely to face disciplin- ofoffice. THE BOTSWANA GAZEttE WEDNESDAY 27 MAY 2020 NEWS PAGE 3 DISS, DCEC And Kgosi In Fiery Claim On Guns • DISS, DCEC vie for the firearms • Kgosi claims them as his own TEFO PHEAGE of Kgosi’s properties seized dur- challenge is surveillance equip- Kgosi says he was never briefed The Extension Two Magis- ing numerous raids on his homes ment and weapons of war pro- or informed of a claim that the trates Court recently ordered n unusual but fiery trian- last year. They include numerous cured outside the country and the firearms belong to the DISS,” at- DISS to return property of the Se- gle over ownership of fire- financial accounts, laptops, docu- only solution is to go to the com- torney Diba Diba (for Kgosi) told bina brothers, Kegone and Tshe- Aarms has ensued between ments and the firearms. panies where they were procured The Botswana Gazette. po, which was seized following Botswana’s key security agencies Some of the seized items were and ask how many were procured Kgosi’s raid. The two were linked and a disgraced founding director weapons and spy equipment from them,” he told the PAC. “Our main challenge is to Kgosi by the state. This was of one of the two organisations, thought to be the property of This week, Magosi told this after they subpoenaed Magosi to The Botswana Gazette has estab- DISS that Kgosi had not handed publication that investigations surveillance equipment produce and give evidence link- lished. over when he was fired by Presi- into these issues were yet to be and weapons of war ing them to Kgosi. The raids on The firearms - seven of them dent Mokgweetsi Masisi in May completed and so he was not in a Kgosi and his associates were in number - were confiscated in 2018. His successor, Brigadier position to discuss the question of procured outside the to try and establish the wherea- a raid on a house belonging to the Peter Magosi, was soon raising the firearms. “What I can confirm bouts of the weapons and the spy former director of the Directorate concerns that the secret service is that for now we are not return- country and the only equipment. of Intelligence and Security Ser- had kept no inventory of its assets ing anything to Kgosi,” he said. The guns were confiscated at a vice (DISS), Isaac Kgosi, some and tools of trade and therefore Since the raids on Kgosi’s solution is to go to the time when Magosi was telling the time last year.