02 May 2020

Acting commissioner general of Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS), Mr Segolo Lekau, says more than P233 million has been requested from government for wage subsidies for companies who have been affected by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Lekau said over 12 000 businesses have received wage subsidies of over P172 million which was 74 per cent of the requested funds.  Mr Lekau noted that about P38 million was still pending as the claimants had provided insufficient details.

“Some companies have provided bank accounts that are not in use and the funds could not be deposited. Therefore, we are liaising with the companies to provide up-to-date banking details,” said Mr Lekau.

Updating the media on the progress of the wage subsidy programme on May 1, Mr Lekau said the disbursed funds would cover salaries for over 165 000 workers. 

He noted that the subsidy covered 50 per cent on an employee’s salary and would range between P1 000 and P2 500 per month. Mr Lekau also noted that employees earning P5 000 and above per month would be eligible for the maximum subsidy of P2 500 per month.

Mr Lekau also emphasised the importance of assessing companies in an open and transparent. “I have no doubt that BURS is doing its mandate of disbursing the wage subsidy in a transparent manner,” he said.

Mr Lekau did not dismiss the possibility of some companies engaging in fraudulent acts in order to benefit from the subsidy.  “We are aware that some companies might take advantage the situation and engage in some fraudulent acts,” said Mr Lekau.

He said companies that would benefit from the subsidy should be registered with evidence that they were tax compliant. Mr Lekau said some companies were not compliant as they had submitted questionable portfolios.

“We engage companies and their employees through interviews as part of the assessment process,” said Mr Lekau.  He also appealed to members of the public and employees of affected companies to assist their office in exposing any possible wrongdoing by calling 16700.

Mr Lekau said during assessment of some of the companies they noticed that some employees appeared in more than one company. He said investigations would be carried out and corrupt companies brought before courts of law.

He further revealed that BURS would liaise with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development with the view of publicising the names of all the companies that had benefited from the wage subsidy with the names of their employees for the sake of transparency.

Mr Lekau also revealed that applications from companies that had retrenched employees amidst the COVID-19 pandemic were rejected by the system. Mr Lekau also appealed to BURS customers to take advantage of new media platforms to access their services. He said those who could not access Internet services would be assisted by the office. ENDS