Rustenburg - Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi and cabinet members have pledged 10 percent of their salaries to the Covid-19 relief fund for a period of six months.
Vice President Slumber Tsogwane told Btv that the president, vice president, ministers and assistant ministers have all written letters and authorised the deduction of 10 percent off their salaries to help the nation in the fight against the novel coronavirus, known as Covid-19.
The deductions would be total P167,407.20 (around R254,864.97) every month.
Botswana has declared a state of emergency which would last for six months in a attempt to cut the spread of the Covid-19. To date, the country has recorded 15 cases and one death.
The country has waged a robust war against Covid-19, and all members of parliament were place in isolation after the director of health services Dr Malaki Tshipayagae ordered a mandatory quarantine after a nurse who conducted screening at parliament tested positive for Covid-19.
Botswana is the third southern African country where the government had pledged pay cuts to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a 33 percent pay cut to contribute to the Solidarity Fund, deputy minsters also would take a 33 percent pay cut for three months.
In Malawi, President Peter Mutharika, cabinet ministers and deputy ministers took a 10 percent pay cut for three months and directed the resources to the fight against the coronavirus.
Covid-19 was first recorded in Wuhan, the capital of Central China’s Hubei province in December of 2019 and it spill over to other parts of the world.
So far there were over two million confirmed cases worldwide, over 134,000 death and just over 500,000 recoveries.