A number of senior civil servants face losing their jobs over the next two years under the newly introduced sweeping reforms aimed at increasing productivity and downsizing the civil service. The government late last year invited public officers on permanent and pensionable status to resign and reapply.
It is understood that currently most senior civil servants above the E2 scale are working on a two year contract and some will be sacked end of next year while others will have their contracts not renewed in early 2015. Following pressure from the International Monitory Fund (IMF) to reduce the number of civil servants, the sweeping reforms by the Botswana Government are aimed at sacking underperforming bureaucrats and some will not be replaced when they retire.
Earlier this year Government undertook a consultancy to the review conditions of service for public servants which was among other things aimed at looking at an array of issues such as allowances, working hours, retention strategy, housing and conditions of employment. Contacted for comment, Director of Public Service Management Carter Morupisi confirmed that contracts of underperforming officers will not be renewed when their contracts expire next year and in 2015. “These are senior civil servants who are normally referred to as senior managers. As an employee, you must perform as expected; if you are not performing then why should you have your contract renewed?” asked Morupisi.
Morupisi added that “I can’t keep people who are lazy in an organisation. If you are doing your job you should not be worried. They must deliver.” While he did not have the exact numbers for officers who have applied for retirement, “the process is still ongoing and it will never stop. Those at senior management level, that is E 2 scale and above are working on a two year contact.
I’m one of them and my contract expires in 2015,” he said reiterating that contracts will only be renewed based on performance. The paradigm shift is aimed at streamlining the Public Service and, as such, it is envisioned that the initiative will increase productivity within Government organisations.
