e-Government
f e a t u r e
Botswana Implements e-Government Solutions
and respect to its customers’ needs,
wants and constraints.
Project PAYE - Tax System
The first project delivered is the Pay As
You Earn (PAYE) and Other Withholding
Taxes (OWHT) Systems for the Botswana
Unified Revenue Service (BURS). These
projects are delivered as complete endto-end solutions to fulfill the digitisation
programme for Botswana’s taxation
system.
Having played a part in Singapore’s ICT
development since 1969, ST Electronics
has applied its electronic government
capabilities beyond the shores of
Singapore.
The Gem of Africa, Botswana, is one
country where ST Electronics has
planted its flag to support the Botswana
Government
in
their
electronic
government process.
Botswana is one of the most forwardlooking countries on the African
continent, and has begun in earnest the
drive to go completely electronic. It is
a modern and wealthy country, having
large industries in diamonds, minerals
and livestock.
Their vision is for the Government,
businesses and people to be networked and interconnected by 2016.
ST Electronics has secured three
projects with the Botswana Government
to date and continue to look to Africa as
a growth market.
A key differentiator in ST Electronics’
value proposition is that its solutioning
and delivery is tailored to the economic,
cultural and infrastructural circumstances of its customer. No two projects
are likely to be alike as the company does
not transpose its specifications from
one customer to another as it believes
that meeting the unique needs of each
customer in fulfilling their business
objectives is important. As seen in the
project summaries below, ST Electronics
delivers its systems with considerations
PAYE is a withholding personal income
tax system where individuals pay their
income taxes on a monthly basis through
their employers. The BURS is now fully
digital in the entire administration of
tax collection. At year-end, employees
file the returns electronically, and the
BURS is able to perform reconciliation
comprehensively to ensure compliance
which includes top-ups or refunds.
OWHT, which is part of project PAYE,
administers other taxations on incomes
earned by foreign employees and from
dividends.
African nations typically face a tax
gap of 30-40%. Launched in June
2005, Botswana would be able to
reduce leakages and increase their tax
collection. The capital investment in the
systems by the Botswana Government
amounted to only 1.7% of the increase
in tax revenue collected, ensuring a
considerable return on investment.
Project CCRS - Crime and Criminal
Recording Systems for Botswana
Police Service (BPS)
Crime and Criminal Recording System
(CCRS) Phase 1 was delivered in
November 2005 to the Botswana Police
Service. This project is delivered as
a complete end-to-end solution to
assist the Botswana Police Service to
effectively manage efforts to reduce
crime and make communities safer.
CCRS has leveraged on internet-based
technology and Botswana government
digital network to manage crime and
criminals in the country.
Key functionalities include a role-based
workflow and document management
of incidents, cases and recording of
criminals, crime analysis, criminal and
business intelligence, audit trails and
network connectivity among 78 police
stations country-wide, for both online
and offline modes.
A Geographical Information System (GIS)
capability is also available to identify
current and potential crime sites. It
examines complex seemingly unrelated
criteria and displays them in graphical
layered, spatial interface or maps.
Business processes will be significantly enhanced
with e-Government solutions
Now the Botswana Police Service will
be able to collect, manage and share
crime and criminal information more
efficiently, increasing their effectiveness
in fighting crime and protecting citizens.
Crime analysis, criminal and business
intelligence is now performed more
comprehensively to improve operational
management, policy formulation and
enhance pre-emptive responses to
prevent crime.
These achievements will place Botswana
in a favourable position to achieve their
vision of a networked and interconnected
nation way before 2016.
For more information, contact
Ben Thomas at (65) 6413 3217 or
Email: [email protected]
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