Four public sector trade unions on Friday dragged government to court challenging a decision by Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) to de-recognise them through a letter dated 16 October 2018. The letter raises serious doubt as to the validity of the continued recognition of the trade unions, suggesting that they have no entitlement whatsoever to continue to be recognised. To justify the decision, DPSM Director Goitseone Naledi Mosalakatane claims they do not have a record of the unions' compliance with Section 46 of the Public Service Act. The import of her letter is that the unions currently enjoy recognition at the whim of DPSM and the existing agreements that they currently have are not valid and binding. Mosalakatane gives the trade unions until 31st July 2019 to comply. Section 46 of the Public Service Act reads as follows: “A trade union which is representative of one third of the employees of the employer engaged in the same trade as members of the same union, may apply to the director for recognition for purposes of collective bargaining”. The trade unions, Botswana Landboards, Local Authorities and Health Workers’ Union (BLLAHWU), Botswana Sectors of Educators’ Trade Union (BOSETU), Botswana Teachers’ Union (BTU),…