26 Feb 2017

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Frans Van Der Westhuizen says the ministry has no plans to introduce an allowance for widows who were housewives when their spouses passed on.

Answering a question in Parliament on Thursday (February 23), Mr Van Der Westhuizen said the allowance will not be possible due to budgetary constraints and the fact that it is not every housewife who is not able bodied and who will consequently need an empowerment scheme.

However, he said all those who met the eligibility criteria to the existing government empowerment programmes would continue to benefit from the same just like any other citizen of Botswana.

“The determination for eligibility will be duly done through the established assessment procedures,” he said.

Member of Parliament for Ramotswa, Mr Samuel Rantuana had asked the minister when they would consider paying an allowance to widows, especially those who were housewives when their spouses passed on. ENDS