19 Mar 2025

The Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr Ketlhalefile Motshegwa says the progression of accountants and revenue collectors is guided by the existing directive No. 21 of 1997, being the scheme of service.

Answering a question in Parliament yesterday, he said the current entry level for Diploma holders was C4/3 salary scale allowing them to progress up to D3 salary scale. He said Degree holders begun  at C3 salary scale and progressed up to D1 salary scale and beyond. Minister Motshegwa said the ministry improved the cadre staff by offering long-term training as and when funds were available.

He further said the ministry authorised self-professional development through approval of self-sponsored studies and grant permission for study leave up to 10 days for examination readiness and writing. The minister said the staff was also assisted with advance loan to register with professional bodies for practice licensing.

He told Parliament further that the ministry offered no reimbursement to self-sponsored workers due to budgetary constraints, save for those who were on the training plan. Mr Motshegwa said the ministry last training was for eight accountants in January 2022 and further training would be subject to availability of funds.

He said the accountants were not trained annually due to budgetary constraints. Also, he said self-sponsored workers were re-designated as and when the posts were available.

“It is important to highlight that due to the ministry’s support of self-sponsored initiative, the increased number of self-sponsored staff always exceedes the available posts for re-designation and progression,” he noted.

He also said that it  was important to highlight that qualifications acquired by self sponsored staff provided opportunities for them to compete favourably for posts in other ministries in need of their qualifications.  Mr Motshegwa said the ministry was not aware of any Risk Allowance, which was paid to the revenue collectors.

He said the ministry was ready to implement any policy or directive which provided for payment of Risk Allowance, which should be paid to the revenue collectors, to deal with any injustice that might have been caused to them.

The minister was responding to a question from MP for Maun East, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile, who asked the minister on efforts made to improve the progression path and working conditions of accountants and revenue collectors based in the ministry and inclusive of councils.

Mr Kekgonegile also wanted to know if self-sponsored workers were reimbursed as it was done at Land Boards and the Accountant General. The Maun East MP also wanted to know when the cadre was last trained and when they were likely to be trained again.

He also wanted to know if they were trained annually, if not why? and if the minister was acting on none re-designation of self-sponsored workers given that they are disadvantaged on progression process and if so, how.

Mr Kekgonegile also asked why revenue collectors in the ministry do not earn Risk Allowance like their colleagues in other ministries. He also wanted to know what remedial action would the minister undertake upon the realisation of injustices caused to workers due to  non-implementation of the right procedures. ENDS