Teboho Khama
BARELY a month following government’s announcement to open two factories at Ha Thetsane in Maseru, the future of 640 Sun Textile Pty Ltd employees is hanging in the balance due to an unusual schedule of their delayed payments.
The employees only got their January payment last week on Friday after waiting for what seemed like forever while keeping their financial obligations at bay. As if the delay was not enough, the employees were only paid half of their salaries and are not sure when they will get the remaining balance and if at all they will be getting their February salaries.
According to some of the employees who preferred anonymity, it is quite surprising to be told that there is no money to pay them, when they are actually working on a new order for a big retailer company based in the United States. These people just don’t want to pay us, that’s all.”
Another said they were not hopeful that they would be getting their money as they have long tabled their grievances with the Ministry of Labour and Employment but don’t seem to be getting any help.
“This issue has been raised with the Ministry of Labour quite a umber of times, but despite all these, the employer seems not to be bothered and there is even a time when the director of the factory displayed quite some sill behaviour around the Labour Commissioner but was not called to order.”
Contacted for comment, Labour Commissioner ’Mamohale Matsoso said the matter was already being dealt with.
“The matter is already on the Minister’s table, just that it is not possible to tell when it will be resolved.”
