11 Dec 2017

Selebi Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse has tabled a motion requesting government to review the old age pension scheme.

Presenting the motion on December 8, Mr Keorapetse said the pension needed a wholesome review that would enable it to serve the noble intent for which it had been adopted.

One of the aspects of the pension that he said needed to be reviewed was the eligibility criteria.

He said with age being the only criteria through which beneficiaries qualified for the pension, a lot of undeserving individuals ended up also benefiting. The MP said people with other means of survival such as a personal pension needed not benefit from the scheme.

He said it was vital that the age for which eligible people were enrolled into the pension was reduced to 60, saying it did not make sense for it to have been set at 65 when the retirement age was 60.

Mr Keorapetse also pointed out that with some of the elderly being primary care givers of their families, it was important that the old age pension amount be reviewed upwards, adding that a study that had been done by the Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) had shown that an ordinary person needed at least P1 500 a month in order to be able to survive comfortably.

He said regionally Botswana was the only country whose elderly received such a low old age pension.

Debating the motion, the MP for Francistown West, Mr Ignatius Moswaane supported the motion, saying the elderly had contributed to the development of the nation and thus needed to be appreciated.

He said what was necessary was for the country to re-prioritise by taking to heart the plight of its elderly.

Mr Moswaane said the cost of living was high and as such the elderly could not keep up with the amount they were being given as old age pension. Debate on the motion is set to continue. ENDS