"Pay us Mma Maphorisa!" - Motshegwa

The government is playing hide and seek with members of Botswana Federation of Public, Private Sector Unions (BOFEPPUSU) regarding payment of salary increment arrears from last year. When government made salary increment last year and this year, it decided to exclude BOFEPPUSU because at that time they were still members of the now defunct Public Service Bargaining Council (PSBC).

According to the Deputy Secretary of the federation, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa BOFEPUSU has since written a letter to Director of Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM), Ruth Maphorisa last month indicating that it is ‘importantly necessary’ to make payment of salary increment arrears to members of the BOFEPUSU affiliates for purpose of equity.

Their argument was also that such funds were already budgeted for the increment for the previous financial year and this year. The Government had already made a unilateral increment of three percent and four percent for financial years 2016/17 and 2017/18 respectively to non-unionised public servants and unionised members of Unions not affiliated to BOFEPUSU. He said the DPSM boss has not responded to their call even though at the last court settlement the government had promised to pay salary arrears without any conditions.

“Other public servants have already been awarded the increment effective 1st April 2016 for financial year 2016/17 and effective 1st April 2017 for financial year 2017/18,” said Motshegwa. Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) called on government at its recent elective congress to back date the 3 percent salary increase for public servants who are BOFEPPUSU members who did not get such an increase due to a court battle between government and the federation. The increment was made in April last year but BOFEPUSU members did not get it.

“The resolution was taken for this matter to be dealt with. The 3 percent for the workers has to be backdated. This has been forwarded to the leadership for facilitation. We would be waiting to hear when and how it would be implemented. All resolutions of the BDP are binding. We are fortunate because relevant ministers to handle the matter were present at the congress,” said BDP Secretary General Mpho Balopi. This move is seen by many as BDP overture to mend their broken relationship with BOFEPPUSU before 2019 general elections.