The govt has dragged doctors through the Botswana Doctors Union (BDU) before the Industrial Court. BDU cited in the matter as respondent.

This comes after BDU urged public sector doctors to restrict their emergency on-call duties to only one per month. The BDU issued press statements on April 3 and April 6, 2025, advocating for this measure, which has sparked significant debate.

The Government is praying for among others that the court;

Directing that the Respondent (BDU) cease and desist from causing, procuring, counselling or influencing its members, who are employed in the public service under essential services, from breaching their contracts of employment and/or committing an offence in terms of the Trade Disputes’ Act, Cap. 48:02.

Directing that all members of the Respondent, who are employed in the public service under essential services, cease and desist from breaching their contracts of employment or committing an offence in terms of the Trade Disputes’ Act, Cap. 48: 02 and/or from causing, procuring, counselling or influencing members of the Respondent or any other persons, who are employed in the public service under essential services, from breaching their contracts of employment and/or committing an offence in terms of the Trade Disputes’ Act, Cap. 48:02.

Declaring the strike and/or and/or industrial action and/or intended strike/industrial action by members of the Respondent employed in the public service under essential services and/or who render essential services constitutes an unlawful strike and/or industrial action in breach of the Trade Disputes’ Act, Cap. 48:02, and is therefore an unprotected strike and/or industrial action.

Interdicting and restraining the Respondent and its members employed in the public service under essential services and/or who render essential services currently on strike and/or industrial action and/or intending to undertake a strike and/or industrial action from breaching the provisions of the Trade Disputes’ Act, Cap. 48:02.

Interdicting and restraining the Respondent and its members employed in essential services and/or who render essential services currently on strike or industrial action and/or intending to undertake a strike or industrial action from breaching the provisions of the Collective Agreements concluded between the Respondent and the said members’ employer and/or the First Applicant.

Directing and ordering the Respondent to intervene and ensure that their members employed by the Applicant in the public service under essential services and/or who render essential services comply with the provisions of the Trade Disputes’ Act, Cap. 48:02 and the terms and conditions of their contracts of employment and/or Collective Agreements concluded between the said members’ employer and/or the First Applicant and the Respondent; and Directing and ordering the Respondent to intervene and/or take reasonable steps to ensure that their members who are employed in the public service under essential services and/or who render essential services do not otherwise conduct themselves in an unlawful manner.