Category: Sunday Standard

Botswana’s fiscal savings account has staged its strongest rebound in more than a year, but fresh data suggests government remains heavily reliant on central bank support as the aftershocks of the diamond downturn continue to ripple through public finances.

New figures from the Bank of Botswana show the Government Investment Account (GIA) rose to P1.66 billion in January 2026, nearly doubling from P846 million a month earlier and marking a sharp recovery from the record low of P251.3 million recorded at the end of 2024. The account consists of P1.16 billion held in the Pula Fund and P500 million in the Liquidity Portfolio.

The rebound offers a rare bright spot for government finances after years of depletion. The GIA, which represents government’s share of foreign reserves, once stood at more than P37 billion during the peak years of diamond revenue inflows. Since then, budget deficits, economic shocks and weaker mineral receipts have steadily eroded the account.

Yet the latest figures also reveal the limits of the recovery.

At the same time that the GIA improved, advances from the Bank of Botswana to government remained at P3.2 billion, unchanged from December, indicating that the state is still relying on temporary central bank financing to manage cash flow pressures.

The data points to a government attempting to rebuild savings while simultaneously borrowing to bridge revenue shortfalls.

Meanwhile, Botswana’s foreign assets increased to P53.6 billion in January from P47.4 billion in December, helped by gains across reserve portfolios. The Pula Fund alone rose to P28.8 billion from P27.9 billion.

While the GIA’s recovery is encouraging, it remains a fraction of its historical levels, underscoring how far Botswana’s public finances have yet to travel.

A new academic paper published in the Statute Law Review argues that Botswana’s courts have increasingly dismissed election petitions on procedural technicalities at the expense of substantive justice, undermining public confidence in the country’s electoral dispute system.

The paper, authored by University of Botswana law scholars Baboki Jonathan Dambe and Olebile Daphney Muzila, examines how Botswana’s courts have handled election petitions over the years. It concludes that strict procedural formalism has rendered the constitutional right to challenge election outcomes ‘largely ineffective.’

Titled ‘The absence of judicial discretion to condone non-compliance in election petitions in Botswana: procedural formalism over substantive justice?’, the paper was published this year by Oxford University Press.

The authors argue that although Section 116 of the Electoral Act grants aggrieved parties the right to challenge election outcomes in court. It says many petitions never reach a hearing on their merits because they are dismissed for procedural non-compliance, sometimes involving delays of only a single day or technical defects in filing documents.

The paper points to a series of election cases in which petitions were struck out despite allegations of serious electoral irregularities. Among the cases discussed is Rankgomo v Independent Electoral Commission, arising from the 2004 elections in Gabane North West ward, where 278 votes were reportedly unaccounted for. According to the paper, the petition was dismissed because an application to substitute a deceased petitioner was filed one day late.

The judges in that matter acknowledged the seriousness of the alleged irregularities, with the court noting that the disappearance of nearly one-third of ballots called into question ‘the credibility of the entire process.’ Nevertheless, the petition was dismissed because the court held it lacked the power to condone non-compliance with statutory deadlines.

The paper traces the origins of the strict compliance doctrine to the landmark Court of Appeal decision in Kono v Lekgari, where the court ruled that election petitions must comply meticulously with procedural requirements and that courts lacked discretion to excuse defects or delays. According to the authors, the Kono judgment has since shaped Botswana’s electoral jurisprudence, with subsequent courts repeatedly holding that even minor procedural defects render petitions ‘fatally defective and a nullity.’

The paper further argues that Botswana’s failure to enact dedicated election petition regulations since the Electoral Act was introduced in 1968 has worsened the situation. Without clear procedural rules, the authors contend, courts have relied inconsistently on portions of the Rules of the High Court while excluding others that would ordinarily allow judges to condone minor procedural irregularities.

The article devotes substantial attention to the wave of election petitions filed after the 2019 general elections, in which opposition parties alleged widespread electoral irregularities, including unlawful interference by state institutions and irregularities involving the voters’ roll. Many of those petitions were dismissed on preliminary objections, including failures to file what courts considered proper ‘notices of presentation’ or omissions relating to sureties for legal costs.

The paper acknowledges that some High Court judges have dissented from the majority approach.

Justice Michael Leburu, in one dissenting judgment cited extensively by the authors, warned that excessive procedural formalism risked turning electoral remedies into ‘a mirage and a denial of electoral justice.’ He argued that courts should prioritise substantive justice and avoid dismissing petitions on immaterial technicalities.

Another dissenting judge, Justice Godfrey Nthomiwa, argued that courts should not ignore ‘glaring electoral irregularities’ because of minor procedural defects, particularly in the absence of detailed election regulations.

The paper also criticises the current constitutional framework that bars appeals to the Court of Appeal in parliamentary election petitions. The authors argue that this leaves the High Court as both the court of first and final instance, creating the risk of conflicting decisions among different judges.

As part of its recommendations, the paper calls for urgent reform of Botswana’s electoral laws, including the enactment of comprehensive election petition regulations, the granting of judicial discretion to condone minor procedural lapses and constitutional amendments allowing appeals in election disputes.

The authors compare Botswana’s framework unfavourably with Kenya’s, where election petition rules expressly empower courts to overlook technical non-compliance where no prejudice arises and where appellate review is permitted. The paper concludes that Botswana’s current approach to election petitions elevates procedural compliance above substantive justice, limiting the courts’ ability to assess the merits of electoral disputes and weakening electoral accountability.

The P1.5 billion water tender dispute has exploded into a full-scale legal and possible institutional crisis with the Director General of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), Botlhale Makgekgenene and Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) Chief Executive Officer Tumelo Motsumi now facing possible jail time for contempt of court.

In an affidavit deposed by Kagiso Moremi on behalf of Tawana JV, the applicants are now seeking the joinder of both Makgekgenene and Motsumi into contempt proceedings already before the High Court. The affidavit states that the DCEC Director General ‘is sought to be joined to the contempt application as a further contemnor and orders will be sought against her, including her committal to prison as a sanction for her impugned conduct.’

Papers before the courts show a procurement process involving a multi-billion Pula water tender which Tawana JV says was unlawfully suspended despite clear court rulings in its favour. According to the affidavit by Moremi, the High Court on February 24, 2025 ruled that Tawana JV was ‘entitled to contract placement within 21 days’ in terms of the Public Procurement Regulations. That judgment was later upheld by the Court of Appeal on March 27, 2026 after the respondents lost their appeal. But Tawana JV argues that instead of implementing the judgment, authorities moved to frustrate and undermine the court orders.

‘After the Court of Appeal judgment of 27 March 2026 had been delivered… a series of acts were undertaken by the Accounting Officer, ostensibly in concert with the DCEC and the PPRA, the cumulative effect of which has been to ring-fence the Accounting Officer’s non-compliance,’ Moremi’s affidavit reads. He alleges that on May 7, 2026 the Accounting Officer issued a letter purporting to suspend the procurement process. He argues that the suspension may have been unlawful because Section 107(4) of the Public Procurement Act states that where a public oversight agency is investigating a procurement process, the process cannot be suspended without prior written approval from the PPRA. Moremi now wants the court to compel disclosure of critical procurement records, including what it describes as the ‘original alleged instruction’ from the DCEC directing suspension of the tender process. He argues that the legality of the DCEC’s actions ‘will directly affect the DCEC and its Director General.’

He further states: ‘Any orders made by this Honourable Court in respect of the procurement process, the contempt application, or the interlocutory relief, will necessarily involve a determination of the scope and lawfulness of the Director General of DCEC’s conduct.’ According to Moremi, the PPRA’s role is central because it is the statutory regulator responsible for procurement oversight and records. He adds that; ‘The lawfulness of the purported suspension of the procurement process turns, in part, on whether the PPRA approved the suspension as required by Section 107(4) of the Act.’

He further argues that the PPRA possesses crucial documents and information that could determine whether the suspension was lawful or part of an effort to defeat the implementation of court orders. He insists no prejudice would arise from joining the DCEC and PPRA bosses to the proceedings because they had already participated in correspondence surrounding the disputed suspension. The decision by Tawana JC to launch the interlocutory application and seeking to have DCEC and PPRA senior officials imprisoned follows another application pending before the court by the joint venture to have accounting officer at the Ministry of Water and Human Settlement to be held in contempt of court for failing to implement the High Court and Court of Appeal judgements that favoured the joint venture to be awarded the tender for the water project.

The Court of Appeal has delivered a crushing blow to a company linked to President Duma Boko’s family, throwing out its attempt to block the takeover of the collapsed Mupane gold mine.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Isaac Lesetedi, the Court of Appeal describing the bidder, Ulsan, as a ‘grumpy loser’ with ‘no conceivable right to protect.’ Court of Appeal President justice Tebogo Tau and Court of Appeal judge Justice Lot Moroka concurred.

Dismissing a challenge brought by a company linked to President Duma Boko’s son over the lucrative Mupane mine takeover battle, the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court order that had temporarily stopped the sale of Mupane Gold Mine ‘s assets to Nova Africa Resources and Aone Commodities DMCC Joint Venture in a deal worth US$21.5 million.

The case centred on Ulsan Botswana (Pty) Ltd, a company reportedly linked to President Boko’s son, Andile Tau, through recent corporate appointments. Court papers show the company was registered in May 2025 and later underwent rapid changes in directorship and management structures. This fuelled public scrutiny over its involvement in the high-stakes gold mine takeover.

The Court of Appeal tore apart Ulsan’s arguments and ruled that the company had failed to establish any legal basis to halt the liquidation process.

‘Quite evidently Ulsan was nothing but a grumpy loser with no conceivable right to protect,’ Justice Lesetedi wrote in the judgment.

The court further said the company was ‘intent on frustrating the liquidation process on the back of whimsical grounds.’

Mupane Gold Mining had been placed under final liquidation in February 2025 after failing to pay debts owed to workers represented by the Mineworkers Union. Liquidator Kopanang Thekiso later invited bids for the mine’s assets through a Request for Offers process.

Two bids eventually emerged as frontrunners: Ulsan’s proposal and the Nova Africa JV offer.

According to the judgment, Ulsan offered an upfront payment of just US$500,000, with a conditional package that could potentially rise to US$10 million over several years after further assessments of the mine.

By contrast, Nova Africa JV tabled a straight US$21.5 million offer payable upon completion of the agreement.

The court said Nova Africa’s proposal was ‘clearly much more financially attractive’ and in the best interests of creditors including former mine workers who had gone unpaid for months.

‘The successful bidder’s offer of USD 21.5 million dwarfs Ulsan’s bid,’ the judgment stated.

Ulsan had argued that the liquidation process was unfair because the liquidator allegedly extended the bid submission deadline without informing all bidders equally, thereby benefiting Nova Africa JV.

However, the Court of Appeal found that the official Request for Offers had always listed 15 June 2025 as the closing date and that there had been no unlawful extension.

‘Neither in its affidavits nor at the hearing was Ulsan able to show the wrongfulness of any conduct by the Liquidator in the clarification of the closing date which merely confirms the date..Nor was it able to show any prejudice,’ said Lesetedi.

The judge also ruled that Ulsan lacked legal standing to challenge the process because submitting a bid did not create enforceable rights over the mine assets.

‘The highest of any offer shall not necessarily be accepted,’ the court noted citing conditions signed by all bidders.

Lesetedi criticised the High Court for failing to properly weigh the interests of creditors and former employees.

He said the lower court ignored the realities facing unpaid workers and the deteriorating financial position of the mine while entertaining litigation from a dissatisfied bidder.

‘No one can say how long the review application will take,’ Justice Lesetedi said. He added that’In the meantime without funds the Liquidator would carry out his responsibilities.’

The Court of Appeal set aside the interim interdict granted by the High Court and dismissed Ulsan’s application with costs.

The Selebi-Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU) says it has assembled the largest industrial investment pipeline in its history, valued between P5.9 billion and P6.8 billion, as the institution seeks to reposition itself from a post-BCL recovery agency into a national industrialisation platform.

Addressing Parliament’s Committee on Statutory Bodies and State Enterprises this week, SPEDU Acting Chief Executive Officer Othata Batsetswe said the organisation had undergone a ‘structural repositioning’ over the past four years, shifting from what he described as a passive coordination entity into an execution-driven investment facilitation institution.

Batsetswe told legislators that SPEDU had facilitated more than 157 enterprises with an investment value of P3.4 billion and supported the creation of over 8,000 cumulative jobs during the reporting period.

He said the institution had also operationalised governance reforms including enterprise risk management systems, anti-corruption frameworks, ESG strategies, whistleblowing mechanisms and digital procurement controls aimed at improving investor confidence and institutional credibility.

‘SPEDU today is fundamentally different from the institution that existed a few years ago,’ Batsetswe said in his executive summary to the committee. The agency was established following the collapse of the BCL copper-nickel mine in Selebi-Phikwe, which triggered widespread job losses and economic decline in the region. Batsetswe said SPEDU’s mandate had evolved from economic recovery toward building a diversified industrial economy less dependent on mining. Batsetswe said SPEDU’s manufacturing portfolio had grown from 22 enterprises in the 2020/21 financial year to 60 active enterprises in 2025/26, spanning sectors including food processing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, plastics, electrical components and metal fabrication.

He said the institution had secured approximately P340 million in investor commitments, while negotiations involving an additional P120 million were at an advanced stage.

Among the projects highlighted was what SPEDU described as the largest foreign direct investment transaction in its history, valued at approximately US$45 million and linked to a chemicals manufacturing investor.

Batsetswe also outlined efforts to position the SPEDU region as a future industrial hub focused on electric mobility, battery value chains, metallurgical beneficiation and green manufacturing, with projected capital frameworks exceeding P3.1 billion.

He said the institution had submitted Botswana’s first application to the United Nations Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, seeking about US$17 million for industrial decarbonisation and climate resilience projects.

Despite the reported progress, SPEDU acknowledged major structural challenges affecting industrial take-off in the region.

The institution said more than 92 percent of its heavy industrial land remains unserviced, describing this as the single biggest constraint limiting investor conversion and project implementation. Out of 103 plots held within SPEDU’s land bank portfolio, only eight have been fully developed, representing an overall development rate of about 7.8 percent. Batsetswe told Parliament that delays in gazetting the 30 percent Government Offtake Policy into a legally enforceable statutory instrument had also undermined investor certainty and weakened implementation across government procurement entities.

He further cited high electricity costs, particularly maximum demand charges imposed on emerging industries, delayed financing approvals, shortages of serviced industrial land and competition from imports as barriers to industrial growth.

SPEDU said it continued to advocate for power tariff reforms, stronger domestic market protection measures and accelerated infrastructure servicing.

The institution also addressed governance and audit concerns raised during previous years.

Batsetswe said SPEDU had inherited governance instability, prolonged board vacancies and audit backlogs, but maintained that all identified audit findings were classified as medium-risk, with no high-risk governance failures identified.

He added that the organisation had implemented cost-containment measures including tighter procurement controls, reductions in acting allowances and migration toward digital governance systems.

Financially, SPEDU said it received cumulative government subventions of approximately P141.5 million over four years, while also pursuing long-term revenue sustainability through industrial land leases, investment facilitation fees and One-Stop-Shop services. The agency reported that its accumulated reserves had increased from about P327,844 to more than P7.1 million by the 2025 financial year. Batsetswe said SPEDU’s 2026-2029 strategy aimed to position the institution as Botswana’s leading regional industrialisation platform, targeting 85 percent industrial land utilisation, expanded export-oriented manufacturing and increased integration into African Continental Free Trade Area value chains.

‘The institution’s strategic importance to Botswana’s future industrial economy is becoming more evident with every investment facilitated, every enterprise supported, every job created, and every governance reform implemented,’ he said.

Botswana’s appetite for cars is slowing, but not enough to loosen the grip of imported used vehicles on the country’s roads.

New data from Statistics Botswana shows first-time vehicle registrations fell by 3.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025 to 9,942 vehicles, down from 10,324 in the previous quarter. Despite the decline, passenger cars remained dominant, accounting for 72.8 percent of all registrations during the quarter.

The figures reinforce Botswana’s status as a heavily import-driven vehicle market, with used vehicles continuing to overwhelm demand for new units.

According to the report, used vehicles accounted for 79.6 percent of all first-time registrations in Q4 2025, while brand-new vehicles represented just 20.3 percent. Rebuilt vehicles barely registered at 0.1 percent.

Japan remained the undisputed king of Botswana’s used-car economy. Vehicles imported from Japan made up 85.2 percent of all used vehicle registrations, far ahead of South Africa’s 6.7 percent share. Meanwhile, most brand-new vehicles originated from South Africa, accounting for 72.4 percent of new registrations.

Mazda emerged as Botswana’s most registered vehicle brand during the quarter, capturing 19.3 percent of all first-time registrations. Honda followed closely at 18.9 percent, while Toyota accounted for 16.9 percent.

The report also highlighted the growing concentration of vehicle activity in urban centres. Gaborone stations accounted for 58.2 percent of all registrations, with Francistown trailing far behind at 8.7 percent and Molepolole at 7.2 percent.

While overall registrations softened, some commercial categories bucked the trend. Registrations for tankers and horse trailers jumped 39.5 percent during the quarter, while trailer registrations rose 16.7 percent.

The numbers suggest that even as consumers pull back, Botswana’s dependence on imported second-hand vehicles remains firmly in gear.

What began as a lucrative P1.5 billion water project has now exploded into one of Botswana’s most vicious legal battles with the Attorney General’s Chambers, the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) being accused of court defiance, abuse of power and a coordinated attempt to block a citizen-owned company from securing a government contract.

At the centre of the controversy is a mega water infrastructure project now suspended following intervention by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC). But lawyers representing Tawana Joint Venture (Tawana JV), the contractor at the heart of the dispute, have launched an attack against government as they accuse officials at the government enclave of deliberately frustrating court orders to prevent the company from securing the contract.

In a letter dated 7 May 2026, Ministry of Water and Human Settlement’s acting permanent secretary iNchidzi Mmolawa informed Tawana JV that the procurement process had been suspended after the ministry allegedly received instructions from the DCEC.

‘The Ministry has received an instruction from the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime directing the suspension of the above procurement process pending investigations,’ wrote Mmolawa. He further stated that the DCEC had allegedly obtained written authority from the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) under Section 107(4) of the Public Procurement Act to halt the process. But Tawana JV’s lawyers, Jeremiah Tladi and Co, immediately challenged the legality of the suspension and demanded urgent disclosure of all documents allegedly authorising the move. The company’s lawyers argued that the suspension directly contradicted binding court orders issued by the High Court and later confirmed by the Court of Appeal. ‘We further attach the Order of the High Court dated 24 February 2025 and the judgment of the Court of Appeal dated 27 March 2026 confirming that Order,’ attorney Tebogo Tladi stated.

He added that; ‘Those orders required the Accounting Officer to procure contract placement within 21 days and remain extant and binding.’ Tladi argued that neither the DCEC nor any state institution possessed legal authority to suspend or override subsisting court orders. ‘No statutory body, including DCEC, has the power in law to suspend, override, or frustrate the operation of a subsisting High Court order confirmed on appeal,’ Tladi charged. The lawyers further demanded answers on whether the DCEC was aware of the existing court orders when issuing its alleged directive and whether the anti-corruption agency intended withdrawing the instruction to avoid what Tawana JV describes as continued contempt of court. The dispute escalated after Deputy Attorney General Joao Salbany entered the fray in defence of the government’s position.

In a response, Salbany rejected allegations of contempt and argued that the ministry was merely complying with statutory oversight requirements governing procurement integrity. ‘The Court has ordered ‘contract placement,’ which is a procedural step within the broader procurement process,’ Salbany wrote. ‘It has not awarded a completed contract, nor has it issued the statutory oversight powers of relevant authorities.’ Salbany insisted that complying with the DCEC directive could not amount to wilful contempt because the government remained bound by procurement laws and anti-corruption oversight mechanisms. But Tawana JV responded with even more explosive allegations, accusing both the Ministry and the Attorney General’s Chambers of pursuing a long-running agenda to deny the contract to a citizen-owned company. ‘The Ministry and your office have, without exception, pursued a single strategic objective: that the tender should not be awarded to Tawana JV,’ Tladi wrote in another letter. He cited previous findings by the Court of Appeal, which reportedly criticised the conduct of former accounting officer Dr Kekgonne Baipoledi.

According to Tladi, the Court of Appeal described Baipoledi’s conduct as ‘egregious,’ accused her of being ‘less than candid’ under oath and found evidence of ‘a scheme to favour CCECC/ZGEC while being blind to a 100 percent citizen contractor.’ Tladi further accused the Attorney General’s Chambers of inventing legal theories to justify delays in awarding the contract. He added that; ‘The position is, with respect, illogical: contract placement that places no contract.’ Tawana JV’s lawyers suspect that the alleged DCEC intervention may not have been independently initiated at all, but rather solicited by ministry officials and legal advisors as contempt proceedings intensified. ‘Our client reasonably suspects that the alleged DCEC instruction was solicited by the Accounting Officer on the advice of your office rather than initiated independently by the DCEC,’ Tladi alleged. The lawyers argued that the timing of the anti-corruption intervention was deeply suspicious because the DCEC had allegedly remained inactive for 17 months following an earlier procurement tribunal referral involving the same tender. According to Tladi, the DCEC only moved aggressively after contempt proceedings were launched against senior ministry officials accused of refusing to comply with court orders. Tladi also accused government officials of humiliating the executives and lawyers of Tawana JC during a scheduled meeting at the Ministry of Water and Human Settlement.

According to Tladi, the company, its directors and legal team waited at the ministry offices for a scheduled meeting on 7 May, only to discover that officials had instead dispatched suspension letters elsewhere while avoiding face-to-face engagement. ‘The composite picture is not one of a Ministry and Attorney General’s Chambers in good faith engagement with a citizen contractor vindicated by the highest court,’ Tladi said. He added that, ‘It is one of Government officials coordinating an administrative response off-stage while the citizen sits in the lobby.’ Tladi warned that it intends joining the DCEC Director General, the PPRA Chief Executive Officer and potentially the Acting Attorney General personally into ongoing contempt proceedings before the High Court. He also insists that the company is not opposed to genuine anti-corruption investigations.

‘What our client does not accept,’ the lawyer stated adding that it ‘is the deployment of the machinery of investigation, this late, against the very citizen contractor whom the courts have vindicated.’

Toronto-listed junior explorer One Bullion says new high-grade assay results from its Vumba Project are strengthening the case for a potentially significant gold discovery in Botswana, as exploration interest builds in the country’s underexplored greenstone belts.

The company reported gravity-finish re-assays from five previously over-limit samples, returning a top grade of 30.8 grams per tonne gold, alongside results of 22.2 g/t, 17.55 g/t and 11.0 g/t.

The samples were collected from artisanal pits, stockpiles and dumps at Vumba and followed earlier fire-assay results that had exceeded the 10 g/t reporting threshold.

While the grades are considered strong by exploration standards, One Bullion cautioned that the results are based on selective grab sampling rather than a formal mineral resource estimate.

Still, the company believes the results are encouraging.

One Bullion said the mineralised samples span multiple artisanal workings and geological host structures across roughly 2.5 kilometres of strike, suggesting the mineralisation may extend beyond isolated pockets.

That matters because continuity is what turns interesting geology into a viable mining story.

Chief executive Adam Berk said the latest results reinforce the company’s view that Vumba hosts meaningful high-grade mineralisation warranting further work, including drilling.

The company had earlier reported visible gold and selective grab samples grading as high as 679 g/t and 207 g/t, figures that drew attention despite the early-stage nature of the exploration programme.

Beyond Vumba, One Bullion said Botswana’s environmental authorities have approved the Environmental Impact Statement for its Maitengwe Exploration Project, clearing another hurdle for exploration activity.

The developments come as Botswana seeks to revive gold exploration following the closure of Mupane Gold Mine in March 2024.

Botswana’s energy regulator has delivered the kind of message fuel station operators would rather not receive: fix your act or close shop.

In what amounts to a regulatory version of ‘clean your room or move out,’ the Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) says non-compliant filling stations will face shutdowns as it intensifies enforcement across the sector.

And this is not about crooked price boards or a missing mop.

Gift Bakumbi, BERA’s director of gas and petroleum, says inspectors are encountering infractions serious enough to make any risk manager spill their coffee.

‘We are dealing with numerous infractions, including leaking fuel pipes that threaten groundwater contamination, improper use of jerrycans, and failure to adhere to basic safety standards,’ Bakumbi said.

Translation: some operators appear to have mistaken petroleum retail for an improvisational hobby.

BERA has already shut down one filling station in Ramokgwebana, signalling that the regulator is done issuing polite warnings and hoping for self-reflection.

The numbers explain the frustration.

When BERA first began inspections, 84 out of 140 filling stations failed compliance checks. That is less ‘isolated incidents’ and more ‘sector-wide personality trait.’

For fuel retailers, the commercial implications are real. Compliance upgrades cost money. Infrastructure repairs are expensive. Temporary closures hurt revenue.

But so does setting the groundwater on fire.

BERA’s broader argument is straightforward: fuel retail is not a casual enterprise where duct tape and optimism qualify as safety systems.

Since officially beginning operations in September 2017, BERA has become one of Botswana’s youngest but most impactful regulatory bodies.

As Botswana continues its journey towards economic transformation and sustainable development, MMG Khoemacau is taking a leading role in investing in local education and skills development. In response to the Government’s call for increased job creation and diversification from diamond dependency, MMG Khoemacau implemented a comprehensive program focused on internships, apprenticeships, and industry partnerships that empower Botswana’s graduates and communities.

The multibillion-pula Khoemacau Expansion Project, unveiled at the recent groundbreaking ceremony, will transform the nation’s mining landscape. With copper production in concentrate set to more than double from 60,000 tonnes to 130,000 tonnes per annum, the project is expected to generate approximately 5,500 jobs during construction and support a permanent workforce of over 4,000 once fully operational in 2028.

The MMG Khoemacau Graduate Program plays a vital role in strengthening local capacity to meet the demands of the expansion project. By equipping graduates with the skills and experience needed in the mining sector, the program not only ensures their employability but also helps build a future-ready workforce for Botswana. This initiative reflects MMG Khoemacau’s commitment to empowering local communities and contributing to the country’s long-term development, ensuring that the benefits of growth and progress are shared widely and sustainably. Currently, the company is completing its graduate recruitment process, with fifty new graduates expected to join the operation in phases through August. This comes in addition to graduates already on site, forming a growing and diverse cohort across the business.

The true measure of the program’s success will be the development of Botswana’s workforce. MMG Khoemacau continues to work closely with and support the University of Botswana (UB) and the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), through offering their students mandatory practical or on the job-training-attachment, for them to complete and qualify to graduate. Once they graduate, the company offers the eligible candidates an extensive graduate trainee program which provides individuals with exposure to the mining industry, giving them the requisite work experience and skills.

The Graduate Trainee Program focuses on: Exploration, Mine Engineering, and Geology and Technical skills. Graduates gain insights into the geological make-up of the Kalahari Copperbelt and profile of its orebody, exploration process through practical exposure, mine engineering and geo technology employed in this highly mechanized underground mining. They engage in daily work planning, underground mining processes, data capturing methods, safety standards, and the application of acquired technical skills in real operational environments. Some of these graduates’ form part of the process plant Metallurgy and Maintenance team, following the journey of copper ore from mining to being processed, packaged and shipped out of Botswana to international markets.

During the recent cohort’s quarterly presentations, the graduates focused on the scope of their role, skills acquired, and the application of adaptive, innovative approaches in executing their requisite tasks. They also openly discussed challenges encountered during their training and offered thoughtful recommendations, while actively seeking feedback to support continuous improvement. These presentations demonstrate the impact of MMG Khoemacau’s Graduate Program, highlighting inspirational success stories, testimonials and reaffirmed the organization’s strong commitment to talent development, promotion of safe sustainable mine practices and continuous learning.

MMG Khoemacau’s commitment to capacity building goes beyond standard mining and geotechnical expertise, with its graduate program focused on developing talent in a variety of fields including human resources, supply chain, external affairs, administration and logistics, as well as facilities and camp management. By offering internship opportunities across these disciplines, MMG Khoemacau ensures graduates gain industry-relevant skills that open doors to diverse career paths. This approach reflects the company’s dedication to nurturing local talent and supporting the overall growth of Botswana’s workforce, truly ensuring that no one is left behind.

These efforts support MMG Khoemacau’s vision of a national mining skills partnership that advances socio-economic development, aligns with Botswana’s economic transformation agenda, and brings the benefits of local mineral beneficiation to individuals, families, and communities across the country. As the MMG Khoemacau Expansion Project progresses, MMG’s ongoing investment in education and skills development stands as a testament to its commitment to Botswana’s long-term prosperity and the creation of a skilled workforce ready to drive the nation’s future growth.