29 Mar 2017

The government has decided to adjust salaries, allowances and conditions of service for certain categories of non-unionised employees and increase monthly social grants for specified beneficiaries, with effect from April 1, 2017.
A press release from Office of the President says a 4 per cent increment in salaries and related allowances, including housing and upkeep adjustment of P100, is being awarded to all staff members of the Botswana Defence Force, Botswana Police Service and Botswana Prison Services, along with Directorates on Corruption and Economic Crime.
Other staff members, who will benefit from the increment, as per the release, are chairperson and other members of Public Service Commission, Attorney General, Auditor General, Secretary of Independent Electoral Commission, Director of Public Prosecutions, Judicial Service and dikgosi as well as non-unionised members of the public service.
Further, dikgosi who were previously graded at D1 will now be graded at E2 salary, all ordinary council members will get a new monthly housing allowance of P1 200, while the existing housing allowances for council and sub-council chairpersons, deputy chairpersons, mayors and deputy mayors will be maintained at the current levels.  
With regard to social grants, the release says “an increase by P100 a month has been authorised for the benefit of the following recipient categories; Old Age Pensioners from P330 to P430, World War II veterans from P450 to P550, Home Based Care from P202.80 to P302.80, Umbrella Village Development Committee from P240 to P340 and Village Development Committee from P220 to P320.”
Additionally, monthly payments for those participating in Ipelegeng Programme are also to be increased as follows; supervisors will get P651 from P620, while ordinary members will get P567 from P540.
Further, in accordance with a court ruling of April 11, 2016, the release says government is currently restrained from extending any upward adjustment in the salaries or related allowances to members of the public service who are members of unions admitted to the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSBC).
“In the absence of the said restraint it is the intention of government to place before PSBC a proposed 4 per cent adjustment in the salaries and related allowances, as well as a P100 increase in the upkeep and housing allowance for all other categories of public servants who fall within the Bargaining Council’s mandate,” adds the release.
Due to administrative challenges in dealing with overtime, the release says government also intends to submit a proposal to pay employees within the D to A band who regularly earn overtime a 10 per cent monthly commuted overtime or P250, whichever is greater, as well as a monthly fixed overtime at the rate of P250 for all other employees who would normally work overtime.
“It is the hope of government that all matters before the courts affecting conditions of service of employees and the bargaining council could be speedily resolved, so that these new government proposals can be attended,” adds the release. ENDS