CIVIL SERVANTS TO TRAVEL BY BUS
WASTEFUL: Too many BX vehicles on the road Each carrying one driver and one govt. officer Officers to be grouped into buses to reduce costs Public officers demand consultation first
Government could in the near future decide that all public employees travel by shuttle bus between Gaborone and Francistown. This is if a savingram from former Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Communications Isaac Moepeng is anything to go by. The communiqué addressed to all permanent secretaries and titled, ‘Motivation for use of shuttle bus between Gaborone and Francistown,’ says the initiative came up because of budgetary constraints that led to Central Transport Organisation (CTO) not being able to replace all its pool vehicles to cater for demands by user ministries.
They have also realised that more government vehicles travel between Gaborone and Francistown with single officers in them.
This, in their view, leads to increased costs for fuel usage, overtime for drivers, vehicle maintenance as well as vehicle breakdowns especially during weekends and after hours. “The idea is to encourage more government officers to use public transport in their travels especially where there is adequate and appropriate private transportation.
“It is our belief that if this is done right, the initiative will reduce costs for government and help motivate the private sector to improve their services to the nation on the transportation sector,” the communiqué reads.
When reached, the chairman of Botswana National Public Drivers Union Othusitswe Ditsela said they have seen the communiqué and are shocked. “We have been trying to get hold of the ministry for an explanation. Our members are unsettled. To be told that government overspends on drivers’ overtime and that vehicles are involved in accidents because of them is worrying. We are hoping for a proper explanation,” he said.
Botswana Federation of Public, Private, and Parastatal Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) SecretaryGeneral Tobokani Rari said although he had not seen the savingram, they wish to be consulted first.
“If at all that is what they are considering, I hope that they also hear from us so that we understand in detail what led to such a decision. We also hope that they will not be crowding people in a shuttle bus during this period of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said. A shocked Rari noted that no employee would be happy to get less of what they had been receiving when the employer brings about change. “I also wonder what will happen if there is an accident, hence my request that they sit us down and talk.”