Senior officers get 15% salary increase
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday March 25, 2024 10:24
“It is on the basis of the foregoing that a decision has been made to introduce a commuted overtime allowance of 15% of basic salary. The above applies to executive officers (E2 and above) who are currently not receiving some form of overtime compensation. The overtime allowance is effective April 2023,” read the Savingram.
Furthermore, it says that when calculating arrears from April 2023, where the claimed overtime for certain month is greater than 15% commuted allowance, no arrears will be paid for the specific month. Similarly, it further states that where the overtime claimed is less than 15%, the difference shall be paid as arrears for that month. According to savingram, the commuted allowance shall apply and there shall be no other overtime claims outside the commuted allowance.
Moreover, it was announced that officers on suspension and long term training are excluded from enjoying payment of the 15% commuted overtime allowance. This move has elicited excitement from some council employees who see it as an improvement for the welfare of the workers. The National Amalgamated Local, Central Government and Parastatal Workers Union (NALCGPW), deputy chief executive officer, Robert Rabasimane believes that the Director of Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) could have consulted them on the matter as part of good relations.
“Even if their scale does not fall under our bracket of negotiations, but they could have consulted us because it will affect government policies on issues of overtime. At times it is important for unions to appreciate where the government is coming from or what prompted the government to make such decision,” Rabasimane said. He, however, said that even if the money is not enough he is also happy since government has been failing to attract and retain executive officers.
Rabasimane also said that government should be able to attract good quality of executive officers and he believes that the government would be able to pay them for scarce skills. In addition to the overtime allowance, DPSM has taken a decision to increase the numbers of deputy secretaries at council from two to three.
In a savingram dated March 18, 2024 by senior manager, Corporate Services in the same Ministry, Maipelo Chepete states; “all addresses are hereby informed that as per the new approved structure for the Local Authorities, new positions of deputy council secretary/deputy town clerk have been created and included in the Local Authorities Establishment registers with immediate effect, save for Sowa Town council whose establishment regarding the same has not changed. Therefore, there are three positions of deputy council secretary/deputy town clerk per local authorities.”
The introduced positions are as follows; deputy council secretary/ deputy town clerk-corporate services, deputy council secretary/deputy town clerk-development and deputy council secretary/deputy town clerk-operations. According to the savingram the newly upgraded Local Authorities with one position of deputy council secretary; two positions of deputy council secretary have been created and included in the establishment registers. And for those that had two positions of deputy council secretary, one position of deputy council secretary has been created and included in the establishment registers.
Rabasimane said it is not necessary for third positions of deputy secretaries/deputy town clerks to have been created when councils size have been reduced. “We no longer have big councils, and I do not see the need for a third deputy. This is a waste. Of course they will be progression at council as some employees are hopeful to occupy senior positions in local government,” he said.