28 Jul 2026

The Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs is currently undertaking a national verification exercise to determine the status of all workers compensation files and to establish an accurate position of workplace injury compensation claims.

Answering a question in Parliament on July 27, the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs Major General Pius Mokgware said the exercise was to be completed by the end of 2026/27 financial year.

The minister stated that there were currently 5774 cases pending, which could be summarised into two categories; 4627 cases, which were awarded but yet to confirm payment and 1147, which were awaiting assessment, referrals and second opinion on medical examination. He indicated that the waiting period for settlement for compensation at the moment differed from district to district due to distribution of business concentrations, citing an example that Gaborone was generally two months as compared to other places like Lobatse, Selebi Phikwe and Kasane, which would usually take a month to get them fully settled.

However, the minister said they were inundated with appeals for compensation, some of which, were more than a year and which were usually those that were not awarded compensation because they didn’t qualify during assessment.

Furthermore, the minister said as part of the review of the Worker’s Compensation Act, the issue of fixed period for processing and payment of compensation was being considered.

He said parallel to the process of verifying existing files, the ministry had also developed an electronic database that would later be used to develop an occupational Health and Safety Management System. This envisaged system, he said was expected to integrate registration, processing, tracking and settlement of compensation claims.

The minister said this project was included in the National Development Plan 12 under automation of labour administration process, adding that once completed, the system would be interfaced with the Labour Management Information System (LIMIS) to strengthen data management, access, integrity and transparency.

He was responding to a question from the MP for Mogoditshane East, Mr Letlhogonolo Barongwang who had asked the minister to state the total number of workplace injury compensation claims, which were currently pending and the average waiting period for settlement.

He also asked whether the ministry had plans to introduce fixed time limits for the processing and payment of compensation claims and to adopt information and communication Technology (ICT) systems that would expedite claims lodgment, tracking and settlement, thereby improving transparency and accountability. ENDS