14 Oct 2014

Most of old age pensioners (OAP) paid through BotswanaPost have successfully registered to use the newly introduced electronic payment system dubbed PosoCard, says the Minister of Transport and Communications Mr Nonofo Molefhi.

Speaking at the launch of PosoCard in Sebiana recently during the World Post Day celebrations, Mr Molefhi said, out of the 108 000 BotswanaPost OAP clients, 92 730 or 86 per cent had successfully registered to use the new electronic system.

He said, with the PosoCard, BotswanaPost was moving step by step with the times to accord its clients the opportunity to use the latest technologies. Mr Molefhi said the new card would avoid the risk of beneficiaries’ payments being returned if not claimed within a month because it will allow them to redeem their payments even after six months.

He added that the beneficiaries would be able to cash their benefits at various retailers and merchants without being restricted to certain pay points only.

“The process of bringing merchants on board started in August also this year and it is expected that benefits will be redeemed from retailers and merchants in the not so distant future,” he stressed.

The minister pointed out that in another effort to transform the Post into a world class service provider which can stand the same ground with their competitors who offer similar products, a decision has since been taken to merge Botswana Post with Botswana Savings Bank (BSB). 

The aim of the merger is to turn the post into a financial institution in order for it to be in a better position to compete with other financial institutions because it offers services similar to those of banks.

He nonetheless, highlighted the fact that there had been delays in the Post being issued with a banking license due to the fact that it was expected to have a capital amounting to about 130 million.

The minister said he expects that the government will intervene in the coming financial year.

Meanwhile, the Botswana Post board chairman Mr Polokoetsile Motau explained that their mission for the transformation was to provide communities with financial, logistics, postal, communications and agency services through leveraging their network and partnership with the government and businesses.

As they continue with their journey to excellence, they have committed themselves to finding ways of fitting in the ever evolving market and claim their place in the changing communication landscape.

“We have realised that we need to embrace technology and transition from being a traditionalist Post Office to a service provider of choice by leveraging on technology and strategic partnerships,” he said.

Mr Motau said they had been able to create innovative channels such as PosoCloud, PosoCard and services such as prepaid electricity payment through mobile and internet banking. 

He noted that they took pride in constantly finding ways of providing services that were conducive to the comfort and convenience of their customers and to reduce queues in the Post Office.