Yet the Botswana public has generally remained silent, except for occasionally complaining about failing to get service at a health facility or a school. Contrary to what some newspapers have stated, there is nothing to indicate that the strike enjoys general support by the public - no one has really conducted a properly sampled study to determine what the public thinks of the strike.
One misses the voice of those without direct stake in the strike, recognising of course that the strike is bound to directly or indirectly affect everybody because at some point or another everybody seeks a service from Government and Government related institutions. However, for now all we have heard are heavily biased opinions from those deeply involved in the strike i.e., the Government (and ruling party), the Unions leading the strike, and opposition parties. It has been rare to hear an unbiased, objective view of the strike on such issues as the long term potential effects of a hefty salary hike on the state of the economy, in a situation where the civil service has already been described by international observers as "bloated", resulting in Botswana having one of the highest public service wage bills in the world (on a proportionate basis).
