Patricia Maganu
27 August 2008
HIV and AIDS activist Zolani Kraai of BONEPWA, says that chambermaids should have written contracts just like other workers to ensure job security.
One of the nagging issues concerning HIV and AIDS in Botswana at the moment is stigma. People have lost their jobs because of their status or on suspicion that they are HIV positive.
Reports of people dying because of the stigma surrounding them other than the condition itself are not infrequent. One complicated issue is that of chambermaids and their employers. Should chambermaids reveal their status to their employer, especially if they are hired as nannies?
"House-maids should have contracts once they are employed and that contract should have a clause on HIV and stigma," Kraai said. He says that a contract should be a principle. Kraai says that the problem is that the policies are there, but they are shelved.
Kraai added that the government should intervene on issues like these.
"As in the case of illegal immigrants and environment, young people who have just graduated should be hired to go from house to house to see if chambermaids have contracts and do those contract have a clause inHIV," he stated. The activist also called out to HIV and AIDS networks to work together on these issues.
"The important thing is that networks should have more networks with the department of labour and address issues like this one," he said.
He also said that networks should come together and share what they have, the cases, the experiences and how to deal with them.
"We should come together and share valuable information that we have," he added. In the meantime, majority of chambermaids in Botswana are working without contracts.
Mmegi also took to the streets of Francistown to find out what people have to say about this issue and the opinions turned to be very strong and mixed. Thirty four-year-old Bonang Thangwanyane, a resident of Francistown says that it she would prefer to know if someone who is going to spend the whole day with her children is HIV positive.
"I know it is not contagious, but there is also the issue of safety for my kids there," she said. Thangwanyane says that she would never reject any job-seeker simply because they were HIV positive or not.
"In a case where children, especially small babies, are involved, I would like to know what the position would be if she gets a cut and the baby has a cut," she said. She went on to say that the issue has to go both ways for the maid and the employer.
"I think in a case where there is an HIV positive baby the maid should also know," she added. A social worker, who commented on condition of anonymity, said the situation is complex because most chambermaids are hired orally with no written agreement and no third party is involved. She said that the issue of an HIV positive nanny is a challenge to every parent.
"Once an issue like this one is raised, every mother feels like their child will be in danger, we do not want to think beyond that," she said. She said that people have to learn to think beyond the mundane.
She says that when she hires a maid she communicates from the beginning.
"Once the hiring is done, you must talk to them about a lot of things, including hygiene and generally responsible behaviour around the house and around the children. All you have to do is talk," she said. She said Batswana should refrain from isolating HIV and AIDS from other conditions that people live with.
"We should be thinking perceptively on all issues.
I do not think that when you discuss, as openly as possible with your maid about HIV and other issues, there would be a problem," she said.
Olekantse Mokgano, a 28-year-old single mother, says that the issue of hiring a maid who is HIV positive is difficult. She adds that it is a sensitive issue for everyone involved. She adds that if differences arise between the mother and the maid she could harm the child.
"What if one day you have a conflict with the maid, would you be sure that she would not do anything to the child?" she wondered.
Mokgano said it is better when their status is known to the mother for the sake of the child and for the maid to know the status of the child she is taking care of.
"I don't know.
It is a serious issue that I have never even thought about," she said.
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