Police investigate missing log sheets at BCL
Onalenna Kelebeile | Friday April 1, 2016 16:22
The said miners reportedly insisted that they need assurance that the cage is safe for use before they could board. As a result of this about 150 employees were issued with letters for a disciplinary hearing, which were withdrawn.
BCL's public relations and marketing manager, James Molosankwe, confirmed that they have lodged internal investigations in connection with the missing documents and also reported the matter to the police for further investigations. He however denied that they have targeted any individuals and said the next course of action will be determined by the findings of the investigations. He insisted that as far as they are concerned, the missing documents are valuable legal papers which should have not been removed from their safe custody. He stressed that the law prescribes that the log sheets must be kept for any inspections. “The police will inform us of their findings once they have completed their investigations and ours is ongoing as well,” he said.
He could not rule out that the possibility of the disappearance of the documents could be related to the incident of the malfunctioning cage.
Despite reports that Botswana Mine Workers Union’s branch chairman, Joseph Mulambani, was last week detained by Botshabelo police over the alleged missing documents, the police deny that there was any detention. Superintendent Gothusamang Badubi said they have received an enquiry for investigations from BCL but nothing is clear yet. He could however not deny that questioning of some employees took place.
BMWU secretary general, Moffat Ramokate, said to their understanding Mulambani was arrested and detained and has been released on conditions. “We have proper channels to address our issues with management therefore we do not expect management to take the union to the police. We have since written them a letter requesting them to furnish us with the information regarding the issue,” he said.
Selebi-Phikwe West MP, Dithapelo Keorapetse, has expressed serious concern over the incident and insisted that management knows where the log sheets are as it is in their interest to hide them. He stated that the mine management failed to timely report a dangerous occurrence of the faulty cage and the union reported the incident.
“The management not only forced workers to board the faulty cage but also sought to charge those who protested boarding the cage. The log sheets are critical evidence for the unions which can prove that a dangerous occurrence which was not reported to the Inspector of Mines was in fact not recorded in the logbooks. Management seeks to claim to the inspector that the log book is missing and that they had recorded the incident in it,” he added.
Keorapetse further said that the log sheets are critical to the unions and it is a piece of material that will not make sense to steal. He said the log books are needed at the union meeting with management and the Inspector to prove that the dangerous occurrence was not recorded hence there was no basis to charge miners for refusing to board the faulty cage.
The MP said BMWU should not relent but fight for their rights to assemble, protest and petition as well as represent the workers. “BCL must desist from harassing unions and focus more on getting the mine to its stable financial position,” he added.