09 Mar 2025

Parliament has passed the proposed recurrent budget of P946 267 300 and the development budget of P45 763 937 for the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs.

Presenting the budget proposal for the financial year 2025/26, the minister Major General Pius Mokgware said the ministry was tasked with labour management, ensuring decent work as well as facilitating conducive environment for employment creation.

He said the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill No. 26 of 2024 that gave effect to dual citizenship and safeguards against statelessness among others, was passed by National Assembly on August 21, 2024 and assented to by the President in October 29, 2024.

He said the National Registration Act was undergoing amendment seeking to introduce the development and implementation of the electronic national identification system, introduce a population register and registration of non-citizens.

Minister Mokgware also said the Marriage Act was currently under review to provide for among others, monitoring and regulation of appointed marriage officers, as well as prohibiting marriage to minors. He said low collection of Omang cards  or National Identity cards remained a concern. To date, 12 241 Omang cards were uncollected from offices across the country.

On migration, he said the SADC Protocol had enhanced movement of persons across Botswana and neighbouring countries, reaffirming the commitment by countries in the SADC region to strengthen people to people exchanges and eliminate barriers to movement of persons.

In relation to dispute resolution and prevention, Maj. Gen. Mokgware said the ministry still experienced backlog of trade disputes at some offices around the country while the turnaround time for resolution of disputes remained a challenge.

He said the proposed Employment and Labour Relations Bill would provide for the establishment of an independent dispute resolution structure, which will go a long way in improving and restoring confidence in the dispute resolution process.

In an effort to address and make strides on the eradication of child labour, he said the ministry established the national technical committee on child labour in 2024. He said the multi sectoral committee was mandated with drafting the national action plan on eradication of child labour and overseeing the implementation of commitments on eradication of child labour.

Maj. Gen. Mokgware applauded legislators for accordingly advising and giving guide to his ministry. He concurred with legislators that labour inspection had some weaknesses emanating from shortage of staff and lack of resource. He said government was focused on ensuring that no under age child was seen working; therefore all children must be in school.

“It must be known in our country that a child cannot work, cannot get married but rather be advised to go to school. We must continue to engage our people. It is upon us as leaders to take parents to task,” he said.

Maj. Gen. Mokgware said it was necessary to document all migrants, as some were evading tax even though making enough money as they were engaged in some profitable businesses some in the informal market.

Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, the Francistown South MP, said there was a challenge of businesses exploiting employees by offering them low wages, delayed or no payments while working under undesirable conditions. Mr Mmolotsi said government departments were also worsening the problem by failing to timely pay businesses and companies they were doing business with.

Mr Galenawabo Lekau, Mogoditshane West MP, said the review of the Marriage Act must allow for polygamy. He added that labour inspection were not producing desired result and inspectors were allegedly subjected to bribery by some established businesses who were well known for paying low salaries and violating labour laws. ENDS