Gaolathe calls for increase of Old Age Pension to P600

Member of Parliament for Gaborone Bonnington South, Ndaba Gaolathe has called on government to introduce a social security contributory scheme to achieve its social security strategy.

Responding to Budget Speech on behalf of Leader of Opposition, Gaolathe said the scheme should be introduced through employers for those who work and through a Government mechanism for those who don’t work.

“These monies should flow into a system of “funds” in the long term, sustainably managed to finance a high quality healthcare system, pensions especially for those who ordinarily would not have them and parts of the education system including a comprehensive education path for people living with disabilities. Compared to some SADC Countries, Botswana is not doing enough to address the problem of poverty and inequality”, said Gaolathe.

He said that Botswana spends 3.2% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on social protection programmes compared to Lesotho which spends 4.6% of GDP on social protection programmes with a monthly old pension of R450. South Africa spends 3.4% of GDP on Social protection programmes with a monthly old-age pension of R1, 350 while Namibia spends 2.8% of GDP on Social protection programmes with a monthly old age pension of R600.

“We urge Government to consider raising the old-age pension to a minimum of P600.00. Botswana needs to rethink its Social security strategy.  We need to reconsider the manner by which we offer or can offer high quality health care even to the less privileged. We need to revamp our social safety nets and also the nature of social upliftment programmes.”