The Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) issued the clarification on Wednesday, a day after the Manual Workers Union questioned the recruitment of gardeners and office cleaners through DPSM in Gaborone.
DPSM recently advertised 74 gardener positions on salary scale A2 and 293 office cleaner positions on A3. Applications for both sets of vacancies were directed to its Gaborone office.
The union said it was not opposed to the vacancies being advertised or applicants being screened centrally. However, it argued that the appointment of successful candidates should be handled by the ministries and departments where they will work.
It also questioned why Government was centralising the recruitment while promoting decentralisation in other areas.
The union further alleged that the arrangement could be influenced by political considerations, claiming that lists containing names of people who assisted the ruling party during the elections may have been submitted for consideration. The allegation has not been independently verified.
In its response, DPSM said recruitment had not been centralised countrywide. Vacancies in the districts will be handled by district commissioners, district councils and land boards.
“This allows recruitment to take place closer to communities where the vacancies exist and improves accessibility for job seekers,” DPSM said.
Only vacancies falling under ministries and Government departments in Gaborone are being handled centrally by DPSM. The relevant ministries will also participate in selecting successful candidates.
“Government emphasises that centralisation does not mean automatic employment and does not compromise the principles of merit, fairness, transparency or equal opportunity,” the statement signed by Chandapiwa Maele reads.
DPSM said all applicants would be assessed against the approved qualifications, experience and other requirements of the positions for which they are being considered.
Appointments, it added, would be made strictly according to merit, suitability and established Public Service recruitment procedures.
According to DPSM, conducting one coordinated recruitment exercise will also spare job seekers the cost of submitting separate applications to several ministries for similar positions.
Eligible applicants will be able to compete for several suitable vacancies through one process. DPSM will maintain a pool of assessed candidates who may later be considered for vacancies across participating Government offices.
“The centralised recruitment model is therefore an administrative mechanism designed to improve efficiency, accessibility and consistency and not a mechanism for favouring particular individuals or groups,” DPSM said.
The insourcing programme covers cleaners, gardeners, gatekeepers and night-watchmen previously engaged through private contractors. The positions are being created across ministries, departments, agencies, councils and land boards.
Government said recruitment would be conducted in phases because of the large number of vacancies involved. It encouraged eligible citizens to apply and follow the stated application procedures.
