08 Mar 2020

To turn the civil service into a high performing organisation, supervisors have to carry out performance management and appraisal correctly.

Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) director, Ms Goitseone Mosalakatane said this when addressing government employees in Lobatse recently.  

She said performance management was among the problematic issues in the civil service.

The director said a consultancy report by PEMANDU company engaged by government to assess the civil service indicated that some supervisors still had a habit of giving undeserved grades to low performers during appraisals.

“It is difficult to differentiate between a productive and non-productive civil servant because we don’t do things properly. Some officers get high grades even when their performance is low. PEMANDU in one of its recommendations has advised that performance measures should be done correctly in the civil service,” she said.

Ms Mosalakatane said the process should be carried out on a regular basis, and aimed at correcting and improving performance rather than just at the end of the financial year to award grades.

The director said while there were complaints of low productivity in the civil service, she was surprised that action was not being taken against poor performing officers.

“These are the things that are not taking us anywhere as the public service,” she said.
She, however, pointed that DPSM has drawn a draft which would be discussed with stakeholders such as workers unions, and the government PIC force as part of its consultation on performance management improvement.

She also promised employees that DPSM was consulting on conditions of service for civil servants, which she pointed were too old.

She further said action was being taken to broaden the bandwidth for civil servants salary structure.

Ms Moselekatane said the purpose of the meeting was to share with officers some developments at DPSM and hear issues relating to their working conditions.

She said an effective and productive civil service would help to return the country to its former position as the shining example of Africa.

“There are 127 000 civil servants in Botswana. The nation is putting its hope on us and we can carry the country forward. The civil service has a key role to play in the attainment of our vision to turn Botswana into a high-income country and a knowledge-based economy,” she said.

Stating issues concerning civil servants in Lobatse, Mr Motlhanke Chelane pointed that there was acute shortage of accommodation in the town.

He said there were only 348 government pool houses in the town against a big number of civil servants.

“The district housing project is critical as there is a shortage of accommodation for government employees. We have teachers who commute daily from areas around Lobatse due to shortage of accommodation in town. There are 355 officers on the waiting list for accommodation.

Allocation is currently being done for 2016 applications. The town needs at least 700 government pool houses to accommodate all public officers needing accommodation,” he said. ENDS