Joel Konopo
13 October 2006
Thirteen Chinese employees of R.A Building Construction in Tsabong are up-in-arms following more than a year of non-payment of salaries.
The enraged Chinese builders and artisans complained that for 15 months, their boss, Hua Shi Li, who recruited them from China, has been making constant promises that he will pay them their outstanding salaries.
The Chinese nationals, who had taken their complaint to the department of labour, are now only seeking their pay so they can return to their home country.
Yaung Huo Li, a builder at R.A Building Construction, said he has gone without pay for a year and three months and has lost hope and wants to go back home.
"Our boss lied to us. All we want is our salaries to buy air tickets back to China," an enraged Huo Li said and disclosed that the cost of the airfare is P5,000.
Other angry employees narrated how they worked tirelessly for Shi Li, a fellow Chinese in Tsabong, and he made constant promises in the past two weeks that he would pay them.
"But he is taking too long," said another employee. The employees suspect that their boss, having recruited them from China, has sinister plans to dump them in Botswana.
"We are in a hurry to get back home, I do not want to stay in this country without work," adds Hou Li. He said he no longer wants to negotiate with his boss as he has lost trust in working for him.
He told Mmegi that they took the matter to the Chinese embassy but were asked to remain patient and the desperate employees have now sought refuge in a Chinese restaurant in Mogoditshane.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Chinese embassy, Xiao Yewen, said he was not aware of any labour disputes or complaints made by any Chinese nationals in Botswana. "I know nothing about this issue. I haven't received any complaints from any member of the Chinese community living in Botswana," Yewen said.
Officials at the department of labour said the employees were advised to discuss their grievances with their employers. "They wanted to make an urgent application with the Industrial Court, but there is no urgency in this issue. We referred them back to work," an official at the Department of Labour told Mmegi.
R.A Building Construction manager, Hua Shi Li, also known as Charlie, refuted allegations that he was cheating the employees. He said he is keeping their money as part of a contractual agreement between them. "Every company has agreements," said Shi Li, who accused Yaung Huo Li of stealing from him. "Li is a problem. He stole P400, I have even told my lawyer. This is a rubbish Chinese man. Why does he go to the media not the Chinese community?" Shi Li queried.
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