Sello Motseta
7th July 2025
With resources scarce officials have revealed that Botswana Unified revenue Service(BURS) has been set an ambitious target for the 2025/26 financial year set at P60.475 billion—a substantial portion of the national revenue—including P5 billion from Mineral tax, P12.1 billion from VAT, P19 billion from non-mineral income tax, and P24.4 billion from SACU, representing over 80% of the government’s total budgeted revenue and grants for the 2025/26 financial year.
This Filing Season, was therefore launched under the theme: “Mobilising Domestic Revenue: The Employer’s Role” is a call to action. A call that speaks to the very heart of how BURS intends to build and sustain the nation. A call that reminds Batswana that tax compliance is not just a statutory requirement. It is a shared duty. A civic responsibility. And a collective investment in Botswana’s future.
Jeanette Makgolo, Botswana Unified Revenue Service(BURS) Commissioner General, said “This year, our filing season is anchored on the theme: “Mobilizing Domestic Revenue: The Employer’s Pivotal Contribution. This theme recognizes that the path to national prosperity is paved not only by individual compliance, but also by the central role that employers play in the tax ecosystem.”
She said, “Employers are the linchpin in ensuring that individual tax obligations are met efficiently, accurately, and on time, thereby enabling government to mobilize the resources needed for Botswana’s continued growth.”
The Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) is entrusted with the critical mandate of administering and enforcing Botswana’s revenue laws, collecting and accounting for taxes, and facilitating legitimate international trade.
“What has brought us here today is the individual income tax OR personal income tax, which refers to the total earnings of an individual from various sources such as wages, investment ventures, and other sources of income,” said Makgolo.
Officials stressed that by submitting Pay as You Earn (PAYE) returns promptly, you enable your employees to file their tax returns on time, avoiding potential penalties and stress.
All individuals with a gross income above P480,000 per annum are required to file a tax return. Those earning less, whose income is solely from a single employer and fully taxed through PAYE, are exempt—unless they have multiple sources of income, changed employers, or were employed for less than 12 months during the year.
BURS has also improved its customer offering to encourage compliance and ensure clients enjoy a positive experience with significant refurbishments at thee head office in Gaborone.
A recently revamped customer service centre is designed to provide a modern, accessible, and efficient environment where taxpayers can receive assistance, access digital filing platforms, and benefit from our expanded outreach initiatives.
The centre features self-service kiosks, an electronic queue management system (eQMS), free Wi-Fi connectivity, and dedicated support staff to help taxpayers navigate our e-services and the Mtax App.
“These enhancements are part of our broader digital transformation strategy, which aims to make tax compliance more convenient, inclusive, and secure for all,” said Makgolo.
Employees were also encouraged to utilize BURS’s digital platforms to file their returns promptly and conveniently, anytime, anywhere.
Employers have also been urged to guide their employees in submitting accurate and timely Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) filings and to issue necessary documents such as the ITW8 tax certificates for facilitation of timely submission of returns.
Lesedi Senatla, BURS Board Chairperson, said “Your compliance is more than a statutory obligation; it is a profound expression of your faith in our collective vision for a better nation.”
He said, “Your contributions are the enablers behind the government’s ability to deliver critical public services, develop infrastructure, empower our youth, and maintain national stability. Indeed, your tax Pula is a catalyst for transformation; driving progress toward the “New Botswana” we collectively strive to build.”
