06 Mar 2022

Government has no standing policy on the repatriation of bodies of Botswana citizens who die abroad, Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Kabo Morwaeng, has said.

Responding to a parliamentary question on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Friday, Mr Morwaeng said government however assisted by facilitating bereaved families to follow processes of repatriating remains of their deceased from respective countries where they died.

He explained that repatriation of human remains to one’s country involved a lot of organisation and processes.

He said Botswana missions abroad played a significant role in coordination of communication between families and authorities from countries where their next of kin passed away.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and its missions abroad assists by finding out all that needs to be done in the countries this (death) would have happened, informs and receives families where possible, assists with following the processes and issuing the necessary official documentation which are usually required for clearance of the deceased in the repatriation process,” he said.

Mr Morwaeng further pointed that destitute families without financial resources to repatriate their deceased were assisted through the Department of Social Protection.

The minister said the foreign affairs ministry facilitated repatriation of remains of 10 Batswana in the 2021/2022 financial year.

He said four were repatriated from Namibia, one each from South Africa, Zambia, the United States of America, United Kingdom, and two from China.

He said the biggest challenge in the repatriation process was expectations by families for government to automatically provide financial assistance. He said, due to shortage of money, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation would not be able to foot the bill for repatriation of Batswana who died abroad.

“The ministry encourages all Batswana travellers or those living abroad to have insurances or medical aid to cover them against issues of illness and repatriation of bodies if they died abroad,” he said.

Selebi-Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse had asked the minister to state government policy on repatriation of remains of Batswana who died in foreign countries. Mr Keorapetse further requested government to consider revising its policy and assist financially with repatriation of bodies of Batswana who died in foreign countries, especially to families which were unable to meet the costs.

He said families that their next of kin died abroad usually suffered distress due to high costs of repatriation of dead bodies. He said the costs were sometimes as high as P200 000 depending on the distance.

He said most families which were not destitute were still unable to meet the costs.

“Given that most families are unable to meet these costs, should government step in to assist with transportation of the remains,” he said. Mr Keorapetse, together with Ghanzi South MP, Mr Motsamai Motsamai, suggested that government should consider establishing the insurance facility for Batswana living abroad.

However, Mr Morwaeng stated that people should have insurance cover in their individual capacities.

Jwaneng/Mabutsane MP, Mr Mephato Reatile said government should make it a requirement for Batswana international travellers to sign insurance covers with travel agents as part of their ticket packages. Ends