Caswell Tlali
MASERU — Water Affairs Minister Timothy Thahane has ordered the Metolong Authority to hire a labour relations officer who will be directly answerable to him after a bloody clash between workers and bosses last week.
Thahane has also ordered the Metolong Authority to resuscitate the security committee which comprises the police, the authortiy and workers’ representatives to avoid a repeat of last week’s mishaps.
The authority has also been instructed to ensure that there is a police post near the Metolong Dam construction site.
“I have ordered the Metolong Authority to do these things because it is important for us to avoid the unfortunate things that happened during this week,” Thahane said.
“It is important for us to handle the construction of this much needed dam with care.”
Thahane’s directives to the Metolong Authority after employers of a Chinese company hired to construct the dam stoned and injured bosses during a pay dispute.
Sinohydro Corporation’s manager Song Yi Jun sustained some serious injuries and was admitted to hospital for two days after he was hit with stones by angry employees on Monday.
Also injured in the violent confrontation was Hlalefang Seoaholimo, the national organiser of the Lesotho Workers Association (Lewa).
Matters came to a head on Monday after Song allegedly reneged on an agreement to award a salary increment to the striking workers.
The workers allege that Sinohydro Corporation had last Friday agreed to give the workers a M3 increment for every hour worked.
But at a meeting which was addressed by Seoaholimo on Monday, Song allegedly reneged on the agreement and told the workers the company could only afford a M1 increment per every hour worked.
This incensed the workers who started pelting Song with stones.
Workers at Sinohydro Corporation are said to be currently earning M6.20 per hour.
They are demanding M18.88 per hour for the lowest paid worker.
Thahane had earlier visited the construction site in an attempt to negotiate a peaceful end to the stand-off.
“The construction of Metolong Dam is very important to Basotho and I want the strike settled and the construction of the dam completed on time,” Thahane said to the workers.
He urged the workers’ union to negotiate with the employer while workers continued with their work.
Sinohydro Corporation is a Chinese-owned construction company that has been tasked with building the M540 million Metolong Dam project.
The project is expected to end in 2014.