22 Jul 2015

A total of 2 914 employees were dismissed following the 2011 national public service strike.

Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele, said of the total number dismissed, only 2 689 applications were received after invitation by DPSM for them to apply for re-employment while 2 264 were eventually re-employed.

Gaborone Central MP, Dr Phenyo Butale had wanted to know what was done about those employees who had their services outsourced while they were away on strike.

Mr Makgalemele, however, said outsourcing of non-core duties was part of the public service outsourcing programme, which was one of the aspects of the privatisation policy for Botswana of 2000.

The assistant minister also said one of the reasons why some of applicants could not be absorbed was due to the fact that some services such as cleaning at some health facilities had been outsourced to avert possible outbreaks of diseases due to the non-availability of employees who took part in the strike.

He also noted that the outsourcing exercise was geared towards attaining efficiency in the provision of services, and was anticipated that benefits such as improvement in service delivery would be realised.

Another anticipated benefit was provision of a stimulus for private sector growth by availing new business opportunities.

Furthermore, Mr Makgalemele said the government had taken a decision to outsource security, cleaning, gardening and landscaping services.

He said more non-core areas would be outsourced in the future and that the first phase of the exercise would be confined to government facilities within government enclave.

He said a total of 318 employees were expected to be affected by the implementation of phase one or pilot project of the outsourcing in the targeted services, with a separation or exit budget of around P15 million. Ends