04 Apr 2020

Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Kabo Morwaeng, says the state of public amergency and extreme social distancing period is not a public holiday.

Mr Morwaeng told a press conference in Gaborone yesterday that public service employees should remain at home except those performing essential services. He said non-essential services employees would be expected to remain at their duty stations and should not travel out of their duty stations because they could be called back to duty if necessary.

He further noted that permits would be issued to essential services employees by their respective ministries. Furthermore, Mr Morwaeng said, employees providing essential services would be permitted to travel between their homes and designated workplaces using the COVID-19 travel permit.

Additionally, Mr Morwaeng noted that remuneration and benefits due to public servants would continue to be disbursed during the lockdown, adding that  relevant officers would do all the necessary to ensure on-time payment.

He also noted that all quarantined or isolated employees would be entitled to paid sick leave, provided that a medical practitioner had issued a medical certificate confirming the isolation and/or quarantine.

Mr Morwaeng also urged the accounting officers to maintain consistent communication with both internal and external stakeholders, so as to keep the public abreast of any changes or challenges relating to service delivery. Ends