By Poloko Mokhele
Restive civil servants under seven associations are not taking lightly government’s decision not to award them a 25 percent salary increment.
Now, they are dragging the matter to the National Assembly and to the prime minister’s office to petition them next week.
Ahead of the 2022/2023 budget speech, the civil servants under Coalition of Lesotho Public Employees (COLEPE) representing Lesotho Police Staff Association (LEPOSA), Lesotho Public Service Association (LEPSSA), Lesotho Association of Teachers (LAT), Lesotho Teachers Trade Union (LTTU), Lesotho Schools Principals’ Association (LESPA), Qiloane Nursing Assistants Association (QINUASA) and Lesotho Nurses Association (LNA) wrote a joint letter to prime minister Moeketsi Majoro requesting him to ensure that the financial estimates are corrected to guarantee their salaries are not less than 25 percent.
COLEPE demands: “that the financial estimates are corrected to ensure that civil servants salary increase is not less than twenty-five percent, or in alternative, with effect from April 1, there should an implementation of the threshold at which income earners become liable for income tax when salary is increased or raised to M48 000 per annum with a tax return of M1 300 as the current threshold has been unchanged for some years.”
The coalition stated that tax credit should be increased and a reduction of income tax to 20 and 28 percent respectively.
“These changes will go a long way to increasing our buying power and the government will subsequently collect more VAT (value added tax),” they said.
However, finance minister, Thabo Sophonea, in his speech earlier this month proposed that the salaries and wages be adjusted by five percent across-the-board, indicating that given the already high wage bill, government can only afford a modest adjustment to restrain further growth of the wage bill.
“I propose to this honourable House that the salaries and wages be adjusted by five percent across-the-board to preserve the take home pay. This is consistent with the projected inflation rate of five percent. But given the already high wage bill, the government can only afford a modest adjustment to restrain further growth of the wage bill,” Sophonea said.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has on several occasions warned that Lesotho’s wage bill is too high and efforts should focus on addressing it, which is one of the largest in the world compared to the size of the economy.
COLEPE members this week took another step as a sign that they are not taking government’s decision to ignore their 25 percent salary hike by writing to the police requesting a permission to petition Majoro, Speaker of Parliament Sephiri Motanyane and Leader of the House Mathibeli Mokhothu.
In their request letter they indicate that: “We request a permit to present a petition to the speaker of parliament, the prime minister and leader of the House in the National Assembly on the 24 March 2022. The petition is meant to advise the foregoing offices on the abovementioned unions/associations demand to increase salaries by 25% for the fiscal year 2022/2023 subsequent to a series of letters sent to the same but to no vail.”
Speaking to theReporter on behalf of COLEPE this week, Motebang Leboela, confirmed the authenticity of letter adding that they will today (Friday) deliver letters to the prime minister and parliament informing them of their intent to petition them on the issue.
