10 Mar 2026

The Remote Area Service Allowance (RASA) is paid as an inducement for public service employees to work in rural areas characterised by limited social amenities, poor facilities and general inconvenience, Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Mr Moeti Mohwasa, told Parliament recently. 

Minister Mohwasa explained that RASA served to compensate officers for the varying degrees of hardships experienced while stationed in such locations. He added that government periodically reviewed designated RASA areas, criteria and payment rates, after which the Public Service implemented any approved changes to developments or rates.

He added that the primary criterion for determining a RASA-designated area was its distance from a service centre, the nearest district headquarters where public service employees accessed essential amenities. 

He said the areas were divided into category one which included all Remote Area Dweller Settlements, as well as veterinary and wildlife camps, excluding those in non-remote areas as well as category two which entailed other designated remote areas that met the hardship criteria. Mr Mohwasa noted that relief employees and those on temporary employment were currently ineligible for the allowance. 

“RASA serves a dual purpose, as an inducement to attract permanent and contract employees to remote areas, and as compensation for the deprivation they face. In most cases, these areas experience high vacancy rates due to a general reluctance to work in such locations,” he said. 

He further explained that temporary and relief workers were usually hired for specific projects or assignments with timelines typically not exceeding 12 months. Unlike permanent staff, he said such workers were paid subsistence allowances for the duration of their stay to acknowledge their service outside their primary duty station and therefore did not meet the specific requirements for RASA. 

Despite the current exclusions, Mr Mohwasa told Parliament that government intended to conduct a comprehensive review of the allowance during the 2026/27 financial year, which would take all factors into account.

Member of Parliament for Maun West, Mr Caterpillar Hikuama had requested an update on the administration of RASA as a retention tool and questioned why temporary staff, who faced the same high cost of living and lack of amenities, were excluded. 

The MP also inquired about potential plans to amend Public Service Management Directive No. 10 of 2014 to extend benefits to all cadres, regardless of employment terms. BOPA