Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) is considering taking government to court over the dismissal of managers at the Department of the Building and Engineering Services (DBES).

The 24 senior employees at DBES and Central Transport Organisation (CTO) from different parts of the country were fired last month. "We have engaged an attorney whom we have requested to look at different options and give us his opinion on Friday for a way forward," explained BOPEU president Andrew Motsamai at a press briefing held at the union's head office in Gaborone yesterday.

He stated that Permanent Secretary, Carter Morupisi who signed the termination letters used Section 15(3), which states that an employee can be fired from employment without any reasons given. "This is not working for us and we are going to fight this to the end. If this is allowed, then it means that it will continue to go on in the public service," Motsamai said.

He added that there have been complaints about the section to the employer and a new one has been drafted. "The new Act without this section has already gone through all the parliamentary stages and it is just waiting commencement. It does not mean that we did not have an agreement with them over this section for them to use it now while the new one is waiting commencement. What they did was in bad faith," he said.

Motsamai stated that they spoke with Morupisi who said he does not want to discuss individual cases. He said they have registered their displeasure with the Private Secretary to the President (PSP) Eric Molale.

BOPEU secretary general Mbakiso Magola said the dismissals had nothing to do with poor performance by the managers. He said some of them were promoted two months ago and transferred to different stations only to be slapped by sacking letters when they inquired about their new offices. "They could have called us for consultations if there was any problem and a way forward. How can a person promote someone and two months later fire him or her?" he asked.