Category: Sunday Standard

Government has formally withdrawn controversial letters that sought to downgrade Munitenge Lawrence Liswani Sinvula from Kgosi of the Basubiya tribe to a village-level sub-chief, effectively conceding ground after a stinging High Court rebuke.

In correspondence dated 16 February 2026, the Attorney-General’s Chambers advised Sinvula’s lawyers, Mbeha Attorneys, that the impugned letters issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs on 12 and 16 September 2025 had been ‘formally withdrawn in their entirety.’ The withdrawal, the Attorney-General said, takes immediate effect and restores the status quo ante (as it existed before the letters were issued).

The concession follows an interim ruling by High Court judge Godfrey Nthomiwa, who condemned the ministry’s actions as unlawful, irrational and procedurally improper.

In a separate letter dated 17 February 2026 and addressed directly to Sinvula, Minister Ketlhalefile Motshegwa confirmed that, acting on the advice of the Attorney-General and pursuant to the interim ruling, he had revoked and withdrawn the September 2025 decision. The minister stated that the position existing before that decision ‘prevails.’

The dispute arose after the ministry informed Sinvula that he was ‘not a Kgosi for Chobe but for the village of Kavimba,’ and purported to replace his Section 6(2) recognition under the Bogosi Act with a Section 21 village appointment. For the Basubiya community, the move amounted to derecognition of their tribe and their Kgosi, a claim government initially dismissed as the correction of an administrative error.

Justice Nthomiwa rejected that explanation, finding that the letters effectively stripped Sinvula of his tribal authority without following mandatory legal safeguards. The Bogosi Act requires an inquiry, notice, a right to be heard and publication in the Government Gazette before a Kgosi can be removed or downgraded, steps the court found were entirely absent. The judge also ruled that the minister’s reliance on the Basubiya’s lack of representation in the Ntlo ya Dikgosi was ‘entirely unfounded in law.’

In withdrawing the letters, the Attorney-General acknowledged that the decision eliminated the live dispute between the parties, rendering the dispute no longer in existence. Government has tendered costs in respect of both the interim proceedings and the pending review application.

Related proceedings are scheduled for a status hearing on 2 March 2026, and government has suggested that the review matter be dealt with on the same date to bring the dispute to a close.

For now, the withdrawal cements the court’s interim order as Sinvula continues to exercise all functions and powers of Kgosi of the Basubiya tribe, while the September 2025 letters remain without legal effect.

De Beers swung to a deeper operating loss in 2025 as weaker rough prices, inventory write-downs and a structural shift toward laboratory-grown stones weighed on earnings, even as sales volumes recovered.

The company’s latest financial statements shows that its production fell 12 per cent to 21.7 million carats, reflecting deliberate output cuts to match subdued demand . Botswana, which accounts for the bulk of group output, saw production decline 16 per cent to 15.1 million carats following planned reductions at Orapa and lower volumes at Jwaneng .

Revenue edged up to $3.5 billion from $3.3 billion, supported by a 17 per cent increase in consolidated rough sales volumes to 20.9 million carats . But higher volumes failed to offset price pressure. The average realised price fell 7 per cent to $142 per carat, while the underlying rough price index dropped 12 per cent . Including stock rebalancing initiatives, the effective price decline was closer to 25 per cent .

The result was an underlying EBITDA loss of $511 million, compared with a $25 million loss in 2024 . Trading losses linked to selling previously higher-priced inventory into a weaker market totalled $424 million .

Unit costs fell 8 per cent to $86 per carat, while capital expenditure was cut 34 per cent to $353 million as the group rephased projects and tightened cash preservation .

Anglo American recognised a further $2.3 billion impairment on De Beers, citing lower long-term price forecasts and changing consumer preferences . A formal sale process remains under way, with production guidance for 2026 set at 21 to 26 million carats.

In Botswana, growing old rarely means entering a care home. It means staying put in a family yard, often without running water, steady food, or reliable help. A new national study, Family Caregiving of Older Persons in Botswana, paints a stark picture of an elder-care system that exists almost entirely out of sight and largely without state support. In the absence of subsidised residential care, families – mostly women – shoulder the burden alone.

‘Caregivers have to do more with less support,’ the authors write, warning that family-based elder care is ‘increasingly fragile’ as resources dry up and kin networks thin. Based on in-depth interviews with 80 older people and their caregivers across four communities, the report concludes that Botswana’s care system rests almost entirely on unpaid family labour, mostly carried by women, in conditions of severe scarcity.

There is no state-subsidised residential care in Botswana. Nearly all older people are cared for at home, often by an adult daughter who has returned after divorce, unemployment or bereavement. In many households, that daughter is the only dependable caregiver left.

‘As a daughter, it was automatic that I must be the one taking care of her,’ one woman told researchers. ‘I consider this my home; she is my parent’.

But love does not pay for water, food or transport. Nearly half of older-person households reported eating fewer meals than they needed, while many lacked running water or proper sanitation. Caregiving often means hauling water, managing incontinence without supplies, and walking long distances to clinics.

The Old Age Pension, long a pillar of Botswana’s social protection system, offers some relief. But even after a recent increase, it remains insufficient for households juggling food insecurity, medical costs and multigenerational unemployment. Access to disability grants and home-based care services remains strikingly low, the report found.

The emotional toll is just as severe. Caregivers described exhaustion, isolation and unresolved grief linked to decades of AIDS-related deaths. ‘Families are no longer united,’ one caregiver said bluntly. ‘They can come to check up, but they don’t take care of her in any way’.

The report was authored by Professor Elena Moore of the University of Cape Town, alongside Dolly Mogomotsi Ntseane and Gwen Lesetedi of the University of Botswana, with Vayda Megannon and Zeenat Samodien, also affiliated with the University of Cape Town’s Family Caregiving Programme for Older Persons in Southern Africa.

The report recommends government to ‘Review access and eligibility for the disability grant,’ since only 7% of older persons currently receive the disability cash. It also states that there is need to ‘Improve food security in older-person households’ and for the government to ‘expand existing food assistance programmes and review the destitute food coupon system to ensure it reaches all eligible older persons.’ The researchers also urge ‘government departments, working with the Department of Water Affairs,’ to introduce ‘water subsidies or targeted relief for older-person households, prioritising those with limited income or caregiving responsibilities.’

As Botswana finalises a long-awaited Older Persons Act, the report poses a stark question: can the country continue to rely on family care alone in the face of rising food insecurity, water shortages and economic strain? Without stronger state support, the authors warn, the system may soon collapse, behind the walls of family yards where care has long been assumed, but never guaranteed.

For decades, if you thought of De Beers in southern Africa, you likely pictured the glitter of diamonds and the depth of its mines. But beneath the surface of this industrial giant lies a quieter, yet equally profound, evolution.

Long gone are the days when the company’s contribution to education ended at the gate of the mine, focused solely on training workers for the daily shift.

Today, De Beers has undergone a radical transformation, digging deep into the fabric of society to unearth something far more valuable than gemstones: human potential.

By shifting from basic workplace training to strategic, multi-billion Pula partnerships, the diamond titan is no longer just extracting resources from the earth; it is investing in the minds that will shape the continent’s future. Is this the new face of sustainable mining, or simply a smart investment in tomorrow’s talent pool?

Cecil Rhodes’ consolidation of diamond mines in South Africa into De Beers Consolidated Mines in 1888 created enormous wealth and fundamentally altered the political economy of Southern Africa. This period laid the groundwork for future educational links, though not through direct corporate action by De Beers itself.

The most significant education legacy from this era is the Rhodes scholarship, which is funded by the will of Rhodes, who made his fortune through De Beers. It provides funding for students from various countries, including former British colonies, the U.S. and Germany, to attend Oxford University. Initially, the Rhodes scholarships were intended for white male students to create future imperial leaders.

It is noteworthy that the scholarship is a personal philanthropic act by Rhodes, separate from De Beers’ corporate activities.

In recent decades, De Beers has become extensively involved in education through structured Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programmes, often in partnership with governments and other organisations. This represents a shift from indirect legacy to direct action.

Its efforts have focussed primarily on Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, addressing infrastructure, teacher development and entrepreneurship leadership

This strategic change is epitomised in the 2025 comprehensive Botswana government/De Beers framework that is designed to build Botswana’s long-term leadership and economic capacity.

It is worth noting that De Beers’ joint venture, Debswana, has a long history of offering scholarships for study in countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia, often in partnership with organisations like the British Council.

Historically, De Beers’ support for high-achieving Batswana students has evolved over decades – from early scholarships in the 1980s to the comprehensive talent programmes formalised in their latest 2025 agreement with the Botswana government.

Over the past decades, De Beers’ role in education in Southern Africa has evolved significantly from basic workplace training to strategic, multi-million Pula partnerships. Its efforts have focussed primarily on Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, addressing infrastructure, teacher development and entrepreneurial leadership.

In Botswana, for over 40 years (from the 1980s), De Beers Botswana Mining Company has been facilitating international education for sponsored students, initially through ‘Entry clearance’ for students admitted to U,K., Canadian and Australian universities.

In the following decade, starting from 2000 the company’s focus was on building robust partnerships and creating a pipeline for future talent through a global non-profit Diamond Empowerment Fund that it established in 2007 to support education in diamond communities.

By 2015, the fund contributed $122,500 to Botswana’s ‘Top Achievers Program’ (TAP). TAP is government initiative started in 2010 to help youth access higher education.

The Debswana joint venture launched a prestigious scholarship – Debswana Scholars Fund in 2014. It sponsors top students for A-Level at Maru-A-Pula, followed by sponsored degrees at UK Russel Group universities, with a guaranteed job at Debswana upon return.

However, the three diamond-producing countries of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa have been benefiting from De Beers’ direct and strategic component of its modern corporate citizenship, focusing on industry-specific skills, university partnerships, and community-based school improvement.

In Botswana, De Beers’s joint venture signed its first university Memorandum of Understanding (MoU with Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) in 2017 to develop critical skills in engineering and science, complementing the revived Debswana Scholarship Programme.

Under the new Sales Agreement between Government of Botswana and De Beers Group a comprehensive suite of initiatives was launched, including the Post-Graduate Sponsorship Programme (MSc/PhD) at local universities and the International Graduate Development Programme (IGDP).

In October 2025, the first cohort of high-achieving graduates commenced a two-year international placement across De Beers’ global operations to gain world-class leadership experience. This programme will now run every two years

Similarly the company is in collaboration with higher education institutions in South Africa, specifically with the University of the Free State (UFS) and the University of Johannesburg (UJ). Under the partnership with the UFS’s geology department that came into effect in 2018, the company provide diamond-indicator mineral samples and allow honour students to use their advanced analytical facilities in Johannesburg for research projects. In that same year, 2018, the company launched a primary and secondary schools initiative with focus on foundational skills like reading, writing and numeracy.

In Namibia, the company has partnered with the University of Namibia (UNAM)), particularly its southern campus in Keetmanshoop with special emphasis on full sponsorship (tuition, books and accommodation) for students from marginalised community, mostly girls.

The diamond giant has extensive initiatives in strategic investment in entrepreneurship and leadership, with special emphasis on foundational and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.

The partnership with Stanford University in the United States plays that critical role in what has come to be known as Stanford Seed Transformation Programme. The seed programmes are operational in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.

In 2018, a US$3-million investment funded the Stanford Seed Transformation Programme (for established business owners) and the Stanford Go-to-Market boot camp (for entrepreneurs), hosted at the Botswana Innovation Hub.

Since its commencement, the seed programme has trained more than 46 local business leaders generating P285 million in additional revenue and creating 670+ jobs in Botswana alone. A success story is Kwenantle Farms, which expanded from 120 to 1,800 hectares with mentorship from Silicon Valley experts.

Women and Youth Focus programmes like Tokafala, which created more than 12,000 jobs (50% women-led) and EntreprenHER (3,000+ women trained) provide financial literacy and networking. Career workshops in Maun also equip youth with CV and interview skills.

De Beers’ support for grassroots education and conservation awareness culminated in the establishment of Nkashi Knowledge Centres, whichopened in 2025 in collaboration with National Geographic. These hubs in the Okavango Delta offer ICT training, financial literacy, and conservation education, serving remote communities.

The Debswana STEM Girls Program has engaged over 2,000 girls, encouraging them to pursue careers in science and engineering.

Likewise, in Namibia, De Beers’ impact on education demonstrates a strategic pivot from traditional classroom support towards directly building a diversified national economy. Through Namdeb, its 50/50 joint venture with the Namibian government, the company is focusing on creating high-level technical expertise and fostering entrepreneurial growth to prepare the country for a future beyond diamonds.

Under the Stanford Seed programme, Namibian firms have been supported in scaling their operations. As of late 2025, the initiative had helped generate a combined N$351 in revenue and N$83 million in capital while creating 238 new jobs. Participants receive world-class mentorship, gaining access to a global network of over 10,000 business leaders.

Stanford is also involved with the WomEng Southern Africa Fellowship that provides training for female university students in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa who are pursuing engineering and technology degrees, strengthening their employability and leadership skills.

The WomEng Fellowship in Namibia, which is jointly sponsored by Stanford/Debmarine/Namdeb, has trained 1,500 girls since 2019 in Khomas, Kharas and Omaheke regions with plans to cover all 14 regions. These workshops connect high school girls with female engineers to inspire future careers.

The De Beers STEM education in South Africa focuses on supporting learners from the school level up to university, with a strong emphasis on empowering young women.

From 2019 to 2021 more than 2,200 students at university-level were reached via GirlEng and Fellowship programmes. At the secondary school level, a new start-of-the-art science laboratory was constructed under the STEM programme at Renaissance Secondary School in Musina (Limpopo). In the Free State, the company supported 26 high schools through provision of 75 laptops to top achievers and funded educator salaries.

The company has set an ambitious goal to engage 10,000 girls and women in STEM by 2030.

Evidently, De Beers’ work in Southern Africa’s education sector has moved far beyond traditional corporate charity. Through its partnership with the governments and global institutions, it is now a key driver of economic diversification and high skills development. The impact is evident in direct job creation, entrepreneurial growth, and systemic curriculum reform.

Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine indicates that 34% of elite athletes experience significant mental health challenges. These struggles can take many forms, including chronic stress, eating disorders, severe burnout, and debilitating symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Over the past few years, high profile athletes have opened up about their struggles with mental health. Notable among these are Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, Ilia Malinin, Hayden Hurst, just to mention but a few. The list cuts across different sporting codes and ethnicities.

Another study by Simon M Rice and others, states that ‘elite athletes experience a unique range of stressors that may potentially increase their vulnerability to mental ill-health.’ Their findings suggested that ‘elite athletes experience a broadly comparable risk of high-prevalence mental disorders (i.e. anxiety, depression) relative to the general population.’

While research and studies show athletes are susceptible to mental health struggles, in Botswana, very little or nothing seems to be done to address this challenge. With this in view, Sunday Standard Sports reached out to several national sporting codes to see how much they are helping athletes cope.

Unfortunately, almost all national sporting codes approached did not want to wade into the subject. The only sporting code which responded, Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA), indicated it was trying to address the matter, though it does not have enough capacity to fully address the challenge.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) Kabelo Seleka disclosed that, at this point in time, the association lacks a dedicated full-time sports psychologist who is formally attached to their various training and development programs.

He however says BoBA has a Medical and Anti-Doping Commission embedded within its organizational framework. This commission addresses broader issues related to athlete welfare. It is responsible not only for ensuring compliance with anti-doping regulations, but also for promoting mental health awareness and facilitating necessary referrals to support services for athletes in need.

‘We recognize the need to strengthen this area further. BoBA is actively exploring partnerships with qualified psychologists and mental health professionals to provide more structured access to psychological support for our athletes. We acknowledge that mental health is a critical pillar of athlete performance, wellbeing, and long-term career sustainability.’

‘Boxing is an intense, high-pressure sport that exposes athletes to physical strain, performance anxiety, weight management stress, injuries, and uncertainty around careers and livelihoods. As such, we view mental wellness not as a luxury, but as a performance necessity,’ the BoBA PRO says.

Seleka further elaborated that mental health discussions are currently integrated into selected BoBA training camps. During these periods, the association brings in specialists and experts to speak to athletes. These discussions focus on coping with pressure, confidence building, resilience, injury recovery, discipline, and life beyond boxing.

BoBA’s interventions do not end there. The association is also working behind the scenes on broader awareness initiatives. Following the success of their Drugs and Alcohol Abuse Awareness Tournament, they are now planning a Mental Health Awareness Tournament. They seek to use boxing as a platform to spark national conversations around mental wellness, especially among young people and athletes.

‘Mental wellness is now being embedded into our strategic development agenda, and we are committed to building a more comprehensive, structured athlete welfare framework that places mental health at the center of performance and personal development,’ the BoBA PRO says.

Commenting on the issue, sports psychologist Kagiso Tlhabano- David says ‘athletes around the world-regionally and locally-like the general population, strive daily to manage general stressors, along with the added demands that come with being an athlete.’ ‘They are people first, then they are athletes. But the society sees them as just athletes, as performers.’

‘I cannot speak to athletes’ mental state because that cannot be assumed. Yet, as someone who pays attention to sport, with even more attention on issues related to athletes wellbeing, it is clear that the demands of sport and life and the constant need and expectation to be at their optimum can take a toll on even the ‘strongest’ of individuals.’

‘An individual athlete’s mental health can vary depending on such factors as time of the season (off season, early, mid and towards the end depending of the season), performance (current or previous), injury and nature thereof, personal issues and so forth. There are many factors at play, perhaps more on the athletes’ plate than ours. Perhaps considering all the above we can have a sense that athletes too are at risk to of having mental health challenges or setbacks,’ Tlhabano-David says.

ýShe points out that athletes are trained to be tough, to withstand the pressure, and to bounce back. With this being the case, Tlhabano- David noted that they too can view themselves as such with no room for not being ok.

‘They can acknowledge not being physical fit following injury or off season. But what is usually missing is the education about mental health, and that it is ok to acknowledge to oneself and their support system when they are not emotionally or mentally at their optimum.’

‘When such education is there and athletes see themselves as not just athletes but as people first, it would help them open up for help. If we also see them not just as athletes, but as people first, people who feel and go through challenges like all of us, it would ease the pressure off them and more and more athletes may not feel the need to pretend to be ok.’

‘It is encouraging that more and many top athletes on the international stage are opening up about their mental health challenges. Hopefully this will ultimately normalize talking about mental wellbeing and mental health challenges. That said, there are other reasons such as not having access to support services, and the cost of professional services.’

When it comes to performance pressure affecting athlete’s mental wellbeing, Tlhabano- David points out that managing pressure is a mental skill that top performers have mastered. Besides ability and physical fitness, they bring managing pressure and thriving under it to their game on the day.

‘Performance pressure does not necessarily lead to mental health issues. But mental health challenges can make managing pressure quite difficult even for those who have mastered the skill,’ she says. ý

Sandfire Resources is deepening its push toward lower-carbon mining with the construction of a 21 megawatt solar power plant at its Motheo Copper Mine in Botswana’s Kalahari Copper Belt, as the company moves to reduce operating costs and improve energy security.

The project is being delivered through Sandfire’s Botswana subsidiary, Tshukudu Metals, in partnership with Release, a renewable energy platform backed by Norwegian group Scatec ASA. Once completed, the plant is expected to generate approximately 40 gigawatt hours of electricity annually, supplying around 30 per cent of Motheo’s total power demand.

Construction commenced in February 2026, with commercial operations targeted before year-end. The installation is designed to reduce reliance on diesel generation and mitigate grid constraints in the Gantsi region, while lowering the mine’s carbon intensity.

A key feature of the development is its lease-to-own financing structure, which enables Sandfire to deploy large-scale solar infrastructure without significant upfront capital expenditure. The model incorporates redeployable solar photovoltaic and battery systems, offering flexibility while supporting the mine’s long-term decarbonisation goals.

The Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority has approved the project, and discussions with Botswana Power Corporation are under way regarding potential future renewable integration.

The solar investment coincides with Motheo nearing full commissioning, with equipment installation more than 92 per cent complete to support an initial processing capacity of 3.2 million tonnes per annum.

With copper prices holding above US$8,000 per tonne and the Kalahari Copper Belt still relatively underexplored, Sandfire’s renewable integration signals confidence in Botswana’s emerging copper sector and highlights how new mining projects are embedding sustainability into their operating models from the outset.

The High Court has interdicted the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) from proceeding with a disciplinary hearing against its agent Pulane Kgoadi, pending the filing of substantive proceedings to challenge the process.

The interim interdict was granted by Judge President Reiner Busang this week. Kgoadi had approached the court on an urgent basis following a directive that her disciplinary hearing would proceed on 24 October 2025 ‘with or without’ her, despite the fact that the charge sheet against her had been withdrawn earlier in the month.

The court found that it was ‘common cause’ that the disciplinary board withdrew the charge sheet on 6 October 2025 and that no substitute charge sheet had been issued or served thereafter. Despite this, DIS directed that the disciplinary hearing should continue.

In assessing urgency, the court stated that ‘the fundamental objectives of urgent applications is to avert or minimize the impact of harm which cannot be repaired after the fact.’ Judge Busang found that the insistence by DIS that the hearing should proceed in the absence of a charge sheet justified urgent court intervention.

‘This court finds that the application is urgent having regard to the board’s insistence to proceed with the disciplinary hearing with or without the Applicant in the absence of a charge sheet,’ Busang found.

The court accepted Kgoadi’s submission that the withdrawal of the charge sheet meant that ‘there existed no valid, extant or legally operative charges’ against her. In this context, the court held that the jurisdiction of a disciplinary board is dependent on the existence of a charge sheet.

‘In my view the board’s jurisdiction to convene a disciplinary hearing is derived from the charge sheet and in its absence there is no basis for the existence of the board because it would be seized with nothing,’ the court held.

DIS had argued that the matter was not urgent, that the urgency was self-created, and that Kgoadi had alternative remedies available to her. These submissions were rejected. The court found that the application was based on a ‘new set of facts in relation to events of October 2025,’ including the service and withdrawal of the charge sheet and the scheduling of the hearing dates.

The court also took note of Kgoadi’s complaint that, while on suspension, she was prohibited from contacting DIS employees, including potential witnesses and colleagues who could assist her at the disciplinary hearing. The suspension letter expressly forbade her from contacting any DIS employee, despite the applicable disciplinary code providing that an accused officer ‘should be accompanied and assisted at the disciplinary hearing by a fellow employee.’

‘The suspension letter rendered that impossible and the board did not deem it fit to ensure compliance with the code,’ the court noted.

In addressing the scope of relief, the court expressly stated that it would not grant final orders. ‘I shall confine this judgment to interim orders because there is no legal basis for granting final order on the facts of this case,’ Busang said, adding that it would be ‘wrong and legally untenable’ to grant final relief while disciplinary proceedings were still pending.

The court then turned to the requirements for an interim interdict, namely ‘a clear right, and injury actually committed or reasonably apprehended, the absence of a sufficient protection and the balance of convenience.’

On the issue of rights, the court held: ‘The Applicant’s clear or prima facie right is not contested by the DIS and I am satisfied that a case has been made in that regard.’

The court found that Kgoadi had demonstrated a reasonable apprehension of injury arising from being subjected to a disciplinary hearing without a charge sheet and without compliance with the disciplinary code. It rejected DIS’s argument that Kgoadi could simply challenge the outcome of the disciplinary process later.

‘The submission is untenable because the board has already directed that disciplinary proceedings should go ahead without a charge sheet and the assistance of a colleague contrary to the provisions of the code,’ the court ruled.

The court further held that allowing the process to continue could result in harm that could not be adequately remedied after the fact. ‘If the process were to be allowed to go ahead and she is found guilty and dismissed from employment she would be left without a sufficient legal protection, because no legal remedy would compensate her or remedy the stigma that is associated with dismissal even if the dismissal was to be reversed on review.’

On the balance of convenience, the court found in favour of Kgoadi, noting the history of the matter and the length of her suspension. ‘It is the Applicant whose suspension has adversely affected her professional standing and integrity for a period of almost two years whilst the DIS on the other hand shall suffer no prejudice if the status quo is maintained,’ the court said.

In conclusion, the court granted an interim interdict restraining DIS from proceeding with the disciplinary hearing against Kgoadi ‘pending the filing of the substantive action to set the hearing aside as a nullity upon the expiry of thirty (30) days of this order.’

Botswana’s universal Old Age Pension (OAP) which has long been regarded as a vital safety net for the elderly is now under severe pressure as poverty, unemployment and limited social protection force pensioners to support entire households.

This is according to a newly released study by Family Care giving Programme for Older Persons in Southern Africa titled ‘Older Persons and Community Care in Botswana.’

The study notes that despite an increase of the universal old age pension for all Botswana citizens aged 65 and above from P830 to P1,400 per month in 2025 following ascendancy to power by the Umbrella for Democratic Change, challenges and hardships still persist.

It states that older person households rely heavily on the OAP and ‘given the fact that more than one in two older person households has no income from employment.’

Highlighting the growing financial burden placed on pensioners, the study says’In such instances, the OAP is often stretched across more family members.’

Botswana’s elderly population, defined as those aged 60 and above, stood at 189,522 in 2022, representing eight percent of the national population. The study noted that lowering the pension eligibility age to 60 would bring in nearly 58,899 additional beneficiaries, a 30 percent increase further intensifying pressure on the system.

The findings paint a stark picture of hardship. Just over 20 percent of older persons still rely on public taps or rivers for water, while 18 percent have no access to toilet facilities. ‘Given the poor access to basic services, many older persons will need assistance in managing everyday activities such as collecting water, cooking, or walking outside to go to the toilet. This increases the care need,’ the report says.

Energy poverty is another major challenge, with 64 percent of older persons relying on wood for cooking and 42 percent for heating.

‘The over reliance on wood for cooking, heating, and lighting makes it more challenging for older persons to carry out everyday activities such as eating and walking and leaves them exposed to greater risks,’ the study warns.

Health and disability further compound the situation. The report found that visual impairment affects one in three older persons, while one in four suffer leg impairments. Nearly five percent cannot perform basic daily activities without assistance.

Despite the availability of health facilities, access remains difficult.

‘Services at the health facility are challenging due to the shortage of staff which result in long waiting times,’ the study says, adding that many elderly people cannot endure long queues without assistance.

Social protection beyond the OAP remains limited. Only 26 percent of elderly households benefit from school feeding schemes, 15 percent from destitute programmes, and 14 percent from the Ipelegeng initiative.

The study argues that Botswana’s ageing population is increasingly vulnerable and warns that without expanded support the pension system will continue to carry a burden far beyond its intended purpose.

President Duma Boko has an immeasurable faith in his own power of persuasion.

He has a total belief in his ability to use language to get people to see things from his perspective.

He has many times before managed to climb and reclaim the narrative from what looked like insurmountable heights.

He also has an appetite for risk. And this is the reason behind his often grandiose ambitions and big pronouncements.

His biggest strength has always been his unpredictability.

He likes setting tight and seemingly unattainable deadlines.

But events of this past week must be difficult for him to justify even by his excessively risky habits.

First it was the comments attributed to minister Ignatius Mswaane during the ongoing charm offensive to sell the Constitutional Court.

Moswaane said something to the effect that capital punishment if it continues, presumably under the UDC, will scare potential investors.

This is the last thing that Botswana Government wanted.

Then it was a failure by parliament to form a quorum.

Moswaane has since apologized for his irrational comments, which is a good thing.

But the issue of a parliament that fails to sit because a majority of members are not there will for a long time to come stalk the president and his team – not because it affects them directly, but because it exposes weaknesses of his team; from top to bottom.

It might seem innocuous. It is not. It goes to the heart of UDC ability to run the country.

It is important because it might signal a break in communication within the top UDC team.

Are they even talking to each other? Are they meeting to strategise? Do they ever hold evaluation and postmortem meetings?

If answer to any of the questions above is in the negative, then the ship is headed for choppy waters.

During the budget speech by the Minister of Finance Ndaba Gaolathe, at least six cabinet ministers were not present.

A budget speech is a considered a sacred moment for any government.

It is scheduled over twelve months.

And members are given prior notice, first to allow themselves to diarise it, but also to prepare themselves so as to respond.

That notice is even more acute for members of parliament who are cabinet ministers because it is the budget that ultimately makes their ministries, the government and indeed the country to tick.

But there we were – with six ministers absent.

It says something about the quality of our ministers.

We have people who we have given power but who have refused to assume responsibility.

There can be no excuse that six cabinet ministers are not present.

Attending to parliamentary business is not your most entertaining part of being a politician.

It can be dull and boring. But it is still immensely important for the country and nation.

But it certainly is one of the most important for it is here where laws are made – and the most elementary job of a member of parliament is to make laws.

Attending parliament requires and demands discipline.

It also requires dedication and commitment to public duty.

It is for that reason that the public expressed revulsion when it turned out that the Speaker of parliament had to call off a sitting of the House on account of the fact that the MPs present were too few to form a quorum.

This is a sign of failure on the part of Whips.

It is also difficult to see how the Leader of the Houses can be absolved from the circus.

With almost thirty cabinet ministers, Botswana Parliament is cabinet heavy.

This puts a lot of responsibility on the Leader of the House to manage coordination between government business and parliament.

For a while that coordination has been found wanting. And last week that failure became unbearable to the public.

Now the president has to do that which only the president can do.

He has to call his front bench and backbench to order. And tell them that the nation is closely following their conduct.

The presence of live television inside parliament makes it harder for MPs to hide the truth.

Live television has empowered the voter.

The accusations and counter accusations that followed the collapsed of quorum are what have turned out to be the true measure of where we are as a nation. There is a visceral contempt between the UDC and the opposition BCP. That contempt for one another has recently gotten worse as each stepped up attacks on each other.

At each other’s throat, each is vying for the pulse of the nation.

For a while, in fact since elections of 2024 the UDC has always been on a backfoot, struggling to find a rhythm against an ever agitated BCP.

Recently things have been perceptibly changing somewhat.

UDC has been fighting back. Clearly they want to win the narrative back.

And incidents like failing to meet the quorum reverses all progress made.

And it lends momentum and impetus back to the opposition.

In the meantime the clock is turning.

Over time such small mishaps like failing to form a quorum incrementally lead to the public reaching a conclusion that the UDC cannot be trusted.

And that is where the danger begins.

It happened to the previous administration of the BDP.

They had become too arrogant to see it coming.

Hopefully the UDC has not reached that stage of arrogance yet.

Botswana’s opposition has called for a fundamental overhaul of the country’s budget architecture, arguing that tax justice rather than incremental spending tweaks should anchor the next fiscal cycle.

Delivering a keynote address at a pre-budget consultative meeting hosted by the Youth for Tax Justice Network, Opposition Leader Dumelang Saleshando said the budget must be recast through the lens of intergenerational equity and youth inclusion .

Saleshando framed tax justice as the foundation of the social contract, posing four core questions: who pays, how much they pay relative to their means, what they receive in return, and where the money goes . When that contract is perceived as unfair or opaque, he warned, compliance erodes and disengagement deepens, particularly among young people.

The intervention comes as Botswana faces youth unemployment of 38.4 per cent, a national jobless rate of 28 per cent and a Gini coefficient of 53.3, underscoring high income inequality . Despite upper middle-income status, 17.2 per cent of citizens remain in multidimensional poverty, rising to 32.9 per cent in rural areas .

He criticised the country’s heavy reliance on indirect taxes, which fall disproportionately on young and low-income households, while tax incentives and procurement practices often escape rigorous scrutiny .

Saleshando urged domestication of the SADC Model Law on Public Finance Management to strengthen parliamentary oversight and institutionalise public participation throughout the budget cycle . With public procurement accounting for an estimated 20 to 25 per cent of GDP, he said tighter governance could unlock jobs and curb waste .

‘A youth-responsive budget,’ he said, ‘is where the decision about our demographic dividend is made.’