The Voice (Francistown)
21 August 2007
opinion
Serowe — Most people hate long queues or waiting. But for senior citizens in their 80s to have to wake up in the wee hours to go and queue up at the post office, where there are no toilets or a place to sit, makes no sense at all.
Since the government introduced the Old Age Pension scheme in 1996, elderly have had to endure regular, long, frustrating queues before they could get their allowance, simply because of poor planning by civil servants.
The old folks ranted and raved until the Department of Social Services did not only listen but remedied the situation. In the end it is not only the pensioners who are happy but the department is also proud for making its customers smile.
An 80-year-old pensioner, who BOPA Reporter caught up with at the Serowe Post Office, was all beaming with smiles from the reception she got from the officers. Although she used to dread coming to the post office for her monthly allowance because of long queues, Ms Kelathegile Seabe says the situation has since improved.
We are now paid through our wards and this has reduced long queues at the post offices and I am very happy that we get help as soon as we get into the offices.
On payday, Ms Seabe used to wake in the early hours in order to beat long queues but that is no longer the case as she can visit the post office anytime to get her money.
Although she does not recall when she enrolled for the scheme, she however, says there has been a lot of improvement.
I understand that the responsible department has computerized its system and this has really helped because now we do not have to queue for a long time.
Furthermore, she expressed gratitude towards the government for the pension saying she is able to pay for her utilities.
Mr Temogo Monnawapula, 68, Lesenepole concurs the Department of Social Services has improved the services it provides for senior citizens. I do not have problems with the way things are right now because we now get our money on time.
He added that the system of paying according to wards have alleviated the problem of congestion. However, Monnawapula, say the P191 is too little as he has to support his seven-member family.
Another pensioner, 69-year-old Ms Baetsi Mekgwe, says I am now able to get my money on time. I did not work for the government but I am getting pension from her while companies I have worked for, for many years, have not paid me pension.
Meanwhile, Mr Morris Thamage who is the Principal Pension Officer responsible for Mahalapye, Serowe/Palapye, Bobirwa and Boteti Sub-districts says complaints about his office have drastically reduced as they have improved their customer service.
Termination of beneficiaries from payments for failure to complete life declaration forms, delayed transfer of beneficiaries to post office and payments of arrears for destitute persons were some of the complaints that had undaunted our offices, he says.
Mr Thamage, whose office caters for about 24 779 pensioners, discloses that they have introduced the method of paying through wards/Kgotla to address the problem of congestion.
We also address Kgotla meetings to encourage and show beneficiaries the importance of not missing their payments and we also send reminders on time to beneficiaries who are paid through banks and proxies and these have really served us well as we are now receiving fewer complaints. As for those staying in settlements and other areas, he says, they are paid through social services mobile pay office.
Mr Thamage notes that their service can be enhanced by opening of more post offices around the country and provision of shelter and public toilets at such facilities.
Payments of beneficiaries during the weekend and outsourcing of payments to private entities are some of the practices that can be adopted, he adds.
Principal Pension Officer for Francistown, Mr Philimon Zambo, says they have put several measures in place to assist with the disbursement of allowances for old age pensioners.
His office caters for the North-East district, Tutume and Tonota Sub-districts and Sowa Township, which all combined has about 11 976 pensioners.
He points out that some pensioners did not have dates on their Omang cards and others were not registered on time to get their benefits, adding these are some of the things that made our task very difficult but the situation have since normalizes.
To help ease congestion at the post offices, he said some of the beneficiaries were paid at their respective village Kgotla while others get their money from their respective post offices.
We have also formed Village Pension Committee in every village to assist us trace the unfound beneficiaries and to encourage them to collect their benefits on time.
We have also set ourselves a target of delivering payments from the first week of each month, he says. Furthermore, Mr Zambo pointed out that they have also addressed Kgotla meetings in all the villages to sensitize the public and beneficiaries on the schemes processes and procedures.
The Director of Social Services, Ms Tshenolo Omphitlhetse, explains that computerization of their system and the creation of inspection unit to ensure that payments procedures are followed has helped improve their relationship with the beneficiaries.
The scheme which was started in 1996, has enrolment of about 90 439 pensioners. To ensure that beneficiaries get their dues on time, Ms Omphitlhetse says payments start on the first to the last day of the month.
Furthermore, she asserts that the department had not met any cases of illegal beneficiaries saying our system is connected to Omang database and those who are less than 65 years will be rejected by the system, so there is no way that we can pay a beneficiary who is less than 65 years or who does not possess Omang.
It is now up to other government departments to take leaf from the Department of Social Services. The Botswana Post, for example, should have toilets and reception areas for its customers.
After all, it is only through the joint effort of all stakeholders that this country can achieve good customer service. BOPA
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