27 Jul 2020

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development currently has a mammoth task of dealing with coronavirus, money laundering and grey listing of economic activities. 

  This was said by the minister, Dr Thapelo Matsheka when addressing BURS officers at Palapye regional station and Martins Drift Border. 

He said embracing of technology and accountability were necessary for getting out of the grey listing.

Dr Matsheka said he would soon be presenting an economic recovery and transformation plan which required funds. 

“Our work has been cut out, and our ability to borrow depends on the market perception around our resolution of issues of money laundering and proceeds of crime,” he said.

Dr Matsheka said BURS, which he described as critical in the economy and development of the country,  had a lot of work to do.

He said teamwork was needed at all levels and advised officers to utilise technology in order to be efficient in revenue collection.

  “Revenue collection is critical to raise income for the economy of this country and that is why there is a need to utilise technology,” he said. 

Government, he said, was committed to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and to a digital economy.

Such technologies and systems availed by BURS should be at the core of employees’ work, said the minister.

 Dr Matsheka said government had invested P100 million in the ‘Lekgetho Life’ system which should ease the process of doing business. 

He said people must know they were obliged to pay tax adding that they should be encouraged to use the platform to pay taxes. 

Dr Matsheka said BURS should utilise the two per cent it received from revenue collection on the recurrent budget for other services and infrastructure projects. 

Speaking to the issue of restructuring of parastatal organisations, he said the committee which he chaired had already started work. 

Minister Matsheka said the committee was assigned to look  into whether parastatals should be restructured, rationalised, merged or shut down. 

The minister said BURS was ahead of the curve and had done the necessary reforms. 

“Think ahead on your efficiencies and think about the modern day structure. You need mind shift that is productive to create value.

Generations that come behind us will actually see that we have equipped to them, a country that is sustainable and has requisite infrastructure,” he said. 

Dr Matsheka praised BURS for the positive role it had played in combating and containing COVID-19. 

Everything that officers did to resolve the COVID-19 issue would have a positive impact in stopping the disease, he said. Ends