The rising cost of living, mounting tax burdens and the failure to translate fiscal discipline into decent jobs and improved household welfare have are expected to put the government on pressure ahead of the 2027/28 National Budget.
Unions have warned that workers are struggling to keep pace with the rising costs of food, housing, transport, electricity, education and healthcare, while taxes, utility charges, service fees and multiple levies continue to squeeze disposable incomes.
The Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) has taken the lead in voising out workers’s frustrations by calling for a fundamental shift in the government’s budget priorities. It argues that fiscal discipline and expenditure control should not come at the expense of workers’ welfare, employment creation and essential public services.
In its contribution to the Ministry of Finance’s call for submissions to the 2027/28 National Budget Strategy Paper, the union says the success of the national budget should be measured by its tangible impact on the lives of ordinary Batswana.
“The success of the national budget must not be measured by fiscal discipline and expenditure control alone,” BOPEU states. It added that the assessment must also consider workers’ purchasing power, employment opportunities, household welfare and the quality of public service delivery.
“The success of the national budget must not be measured by fiscal discipline and expenditure control alone,” BOPEU states. It added that the assessment must also consider workers’ purchasing power, employment opportunities, household welfare and the quality of public service delivery.
The union warns that workers cannot continue carrying the burden of rising living costs while their incomes struggle to cover basic necessities.
It wants the Government to introduce budgetary measures that protect real wages, improve disposable incomes and ensure that remuneration policies take inflation and the cost of living into account.
“Fiscal responsibility must go hand in hand with social responsibility,” the union says. BOPEU is also challenging the cumulative impact of taxes, utility charges, service fees and multiple levies on households, particularly low- and middle-income earners. It argues that government should first strengthen the collection, administration and accountability of existing revenue instruments before imposing additional financial burdens on citizens.
The union is calling for a comprehensive assessment of how the combined charges affect household finances, warning that revenue mobilisation should not unnecessarily erode workers’ disposable income.
BOPEU also wants the 2027/28 Budget to prioritise industrialisation and the creation of sustainable employment for citizens. It identifies manufacturing, agro-processing, textiles, tourism, food production and mineral beneficiation as sectors requiring greater investment to expand local production and employment opportunities.
The union says public investment, procurement and appropriate incentives should support domestic enterprises, promote skills transfer and ensure that public spending delivers value for money.
“Economic diversification must create decent jobs, fair wages, safe working conditions and respect for workers’ rights,” it states.
Young people and graduates are another major concern with BOPEU arguing that employment interventions must move beyond promises and provide practical routes into the labour market.
It proposes expanded paid apprenticeships, graduate placements, workplace training and support for viable youth-owned businesses.
“The public service is a strategic national asset,” the union states. It calls for stronger oversight of public projects, procurement and revenue collection. It wants spending redirected towards initiatives that improve service delivery, expand productive capacity and generate lasting economic benefits.
The union further wants the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), National Development Bank (NDB) and Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) to improve access to business development support, financing, mentorship and markets.
It warns that internships should develop practical skills and improve graduates’ employment prospects rather than become a source of cheap labour.
BOPEU further warns against using fiscal discipline to justify containing public-sector costs at the expense of workers and essential services.
“The public service is a strategic national asset,” the union states. It calls for stronger oversight of public projects, procurement and revenue collection. It wants spending redirected towards initiatives that improve service delivery, expand productive capacity and generate lasting economic benefits.
“A stronger Botswana requires a stronger workforce, dignified employment and shared prosperity,” BOPEU says.
