The cash strapped Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) is embarking on a retrenchment exercise. Giving background information on the impending retrenchment in savingram dated 11 June 2014, CAAB Chief Executive Officer, Olefile Moakofi says that CAAB engaged Deloitte Consulting in 2011 to review the operational structures which had been in operations since the authority’s inception in 2009. “The new review exercise was completed in 2012 with the structure being approved by the Board at its meeting held in February 2011 but the structure could not be implemented due to lack of funding,” says Moakofi.
On 19th March 2014, Moakofi says, cabinet approved funding for the new structure albeit with modifications aimed at making the structure “leaner” cheaper and reasonable. He added that “A leaner structure implied a reduction in the number of positions in certain areas of the establishment. As well as to review the set of skills needed to execute particular responsibilities.”
Moakofi says as a result there is likelihood that certain categories of jobs will be affected by the change in structure thereby resulting in job losses for certain categories of staff. “You are hereby in accordance with Section 25 of the Employment Act (cap47.1) of the likelihood that your job may be affected. Further details will be communicated in due course as implementation of the structure progresses,” says Moakofi. CAAB has been without a sustentative CEO following the resignation of Major Jefferson Thokwane, who terminated his “contract of employment with the organisation on 19th November, 2013 for personal reasons” after serving CAAB for two and half years. Thokwane joined the organisation two years after its commenced operations as a parastatal after taking over the functions previously performed by Department of Civil Aviation.
He joined at the time when CAAB was going through transition and transformation from a government department to a body corporate with a board as its governing body. During his tenure, Major-general Thokwane made it one of his priorities to promote/sell the civil aviation to both the political and civil service leadership and to highlight the importance of the aviation sector to the nation.
Though wholly owned by the Government of Botswana, the CAAB is financially and administratively autonomous. CAAB’s operational and financial oversight is achieved through a series of statutory requirements including the obligations to produce a 5 year business plan, audited financial statements for each financial year, annual budget and an annual report. The financial year runs from 1st April to 31st March. CAAB is preparing to enter into a performance agreement with the Government that will enhance its capacity to meet the operational and financial targets set out in the Business Plan.
