Category: Sunday Standard

The Four Nations Tournament scheduled for the upcoming FIFA week presents an important opportunity for Botswana to build a stronger national team. Zebras head coach Morena Ramoreboli believes the tournament comes at the right time and will help the team improve ahead of future competitions.

Botswana will compete against Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe in the tournament. The competition follows Botswana’s recent participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, and the coach believes it will help the team regroup and move forward.

‘The Four Nations tournament has come at the right time after AFCON. It is a platform to expose players, identify new talent and build a competitive team,’ Ramoreboli said. He added that the technical team will use the matches to correct the mistakes noticed during the AFCON campaign and to build momentum going into the next official competitions.

Ramoreboli described the tournament as a launching pad for upcoming assignments. He confirmed that new and upcoming players will be called up as part of the rebuilding process. According to the coach, giving new players international exposure is important for the long-term development of the national team.

The coach also praised the Botswana Football Association (BFA) for organising the tournament. He said it is the first time since his arrival that the country will host a competition of this level during a FIFA international window. He noted that playing strong opponents will help the team measure its progress.

‘It is good to have tough competition and opponents who challenge you. It helps us to gauge ourselves and learn. We will be able to correct our mistakes going forward. We need matches that challenge us both tactically and technically,’ he said.

Ramoreboli further explained that playing more international friendlies during FIFA windows is important for improving competitiveness. He said regular matches against quality opposition will raise the standard of the team and gives players valuable experience.

Although the Zebras did not perform well at AFCON, the coach insisted that the tournament was still beneficial. He said the team learned important lessons and changed its approach in several areas. According to him, international exposure remains key to building a strong national side. The more players compete at a higher level, the better prepared they will be for future competitions.

The Four Nations Tournament will be held in Francistown during the FIFA week from March 23 to 31 at Obed Itani Chilume Stadium. The schedule was confirmed by Mfolo Mfolo, Chief Executive Officer of the Botswana Football Association.

Mfolo said the tournament will be played over two days, on Saturday, March 28 and March 31. The first day will feature two semi-final matches, while the second day will have the third-place playoff and the final.

On March 28, the matches will kick off at 18:00 and 20:00. On March 31, the third-place match will start at 19:00, followed by the final at 21:00.

The BFA believes hosting the tournament in Francistown will also give football supporters in the northern part of the country an opportunity to watch high-level international football. The event is expected to attract strong local support and provide valuable preparation for the Zebras as they look ahead to future continental and regional competitions.

For Botswana, the tournament is not just about winning matches. It is about building a stronger, more competitive team for the future.

At the height of his career, former Extension Gunners, Dynamos (South Africa) and the Zebras midfielder Itumeleng ‘Tumie’ Duiker was unquestionably the best midfielder ever to come of Botswana.

After hanging his boots, Duiker, despite a few coaching stints here and there, literally faded into oblivion. Now, the legacy of the man who wore the Zebras’ number 15 with pride is being remembered in remarkable style.

Local sports apparel manufacturer All Kasi has launched a commemorative boot to celebrate his legacy. The AK Duiker 15 Soccer Boot is not just about sport – it is about legacy, pride and the power of honouring greatness while it can still be celebrated.

The AK Duiker 15 Soccer Boot was inspired by a deliberate desire to honour, celebrate and preserve the legacy of the unique soccer talent affectionately known as ‘Tumie.’ It is a powerful tribute to a man whose talent, discipline and determination helped put Botswana football on the map.

It is a project born out of a genuine patriotic duty to represent Botswana’s history, tell its story and inspire its future. At a time when many nations are redefining their identity through sport, the AK Duiker 15 boot stands as a bold statement that Botswana is ready to recognise and celebrate its own sporting heroes.

The boot tells the story of a legend who shone the spotlight on local football. Duiker’s silky skills, disciplined commitment and never-say-die attitude set him apart. He was not only a gifted player but also a symbol of excellence and belief. His performances inspired fans and motivated young players to dream bigger.

Speaking to Sunday Standard Sport, Aka Managing Director Barnes Maplanka said the initiative goes beyond commerce and speaks directly to national pride. He describes the AK Duiker 15 as more than a football boot. It is a symbol of honour and recognition for one of Botswana’s own.

It is borne out of an intent to celebrate legends while they are still alive and to ensure their contribution to Botswana football is never forgotten. It combines entrepreneurship with patriotism. It is about telling Botswana’s story in its own way. By blending business innovation with national pride, the initiative captures the spirit of a country determined to define its own narrative.

More than just footwear, the AK Duiker 15 represents identity and ambition. It connects the past to the present and sends a strong message about the future – that Botswana can create products rooted in its own history and heroes.

For upcoming soccer stars, the boot represents inspiration, self-belief and excellence. It carries a clear message that greatness is not automatic, but earned through sacrifice, discipline and commitment.

The vision is for young players to wear the boot and feel inspired, and to understand that greatness comes from discipline, preparation and hard work – values that Duiker embodied throughout his career.

Maplanka reveals that part of the proceeds from the sales will go directly towards Duiker’s upkeep. This is one way to ensure that those who gave so much on the field of play are respected and supported beyond their playing days.

The symbolism behind the boot is powerful. It celebrates a star who once carried the hopes of many supporters, while at the same time challenging the next generation to rise, work hard and create their own legacy.

A proposed new anti-corruption law could expose journalists and whistle-blowers in Botswana to prison terms for publishing or submitting corruption reports later deemed ‘grossly inaccurate’ raising fresh concerns about press freedom and accountability.

The draft Anti-Corruption Bill of 2026 seeks to expand the investigative and enforcement powers of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) while introducing criminal penalties for false reporting and reputational harm.

There are fears that the proposals will add to an already dense framework of laws that can be used to curb investigative journalism and discourage whistle-blowing.

Botswana’s existing statutes already include criminal defamation provisions under Section 192 of the Penal Code. In addition the Whistleblowing Act of 2016, introduced under Botswana’s fourth president, Lt Gen Ian Khama imposes penalties of up to five years for knowingly submitting false corruption reports. The current DCEC Act allows prison sentences of up to three years for providing misleading information to investigators.

At the time the whistleblowing Act was enacted, President Duma Boko, then leader of Opposition critiqued it, not for its criminal sanctions, but for failing to provide anonymous reporting channels and relying on state institutions which he said were untrusted.

The draft bill, which Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Moeti Mohwasa intends to present before the National Assembly would create an additional offence covering reports judged to be seriously inaccurate, potentially widening the scope of criminal liability for investigative journalists. The draft Bill

states that ‘a person commits an offence’ if he or she publishes a corruption report ‘that is grossly inaccurate and presents a clear danger of imminent and serious threat to the reputation of the Agency.’

The provision applies to reports published ‘either in the course of investigation or during the court proceedings in the press.’

The proposed law also criminalises interference with corruption investigations, stating that a person commits an offence if they ‘interfere with, put fear into, threaten or abduct or attempt to interfere with, put fear into, threaten or abduct any person involved in an investigation under this Act.’

In addition to targeting publications, the bill introduces penalties for individuals who make false complaints or provide misleading information to investigators.

Under Section 52, ‘any person who knowingly makes or causes to be made to an officer of the Agency a false report of any offence,’ or ‘knowingly misleads an officer by giving false information,’ commits an offence.

Those found guilty would be ‘liable to a fine not exceeding P10 000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or to both.’

The proposed law further empowers the anti-corruption agency with sweeping investigative tools.

It states that ‘where necessary and appropriate for the effective investigation of corruption and economic crime, the Agency may employ lawful investigative measures.’

These measures include ‘surveillance, undercover operations, controlled inquiries and any other lawful technique as may be prescribed,’ subject to judicial authorisation where required.

The bill also strengthens the agency’s authority over public institutions by allowing it to refer corruption-related matters to government departments and demand action.

According to the draft, ‘where there is no sufficient evidence or where the prosecution would not serve the public interests, the Agency may refer such cases to a relevant public body for necessary administrative action.’

Public bodies will be legally compelled to comply with agency directives, and failure to do so could lead to criminal penalties.

The bill warns that ‘the head of a public body. who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply. commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding P10 000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or to both.’

The agency will also be able to impose timelines and monitor compliance.

It states that ‘the Agency may. require the relevant public body to submit to the Agency a report in relation to the matter and the action taken,’ and such reports must be submitted ‘within such time as the Agency directs.’

In addition , confidentiality requirements will bind institutions receiving information from investigators.

The bill stipulates that ‘if the Agency communicates information to a relevant public body. such public body shall be subject to the secrecy provisions of this Act.’

Batswana who fail to report suspected corruption could face imprisonment or a fine under a tough new legislative proposal aimed at tightening the fight against graft.

According to the draft Anti-Corruption Bill, 2026, which is expected to be presented before the National Assembly by Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Moeti Mohwasa, every citizen will be legally obligated to report suspected corruption involving public institutions.

The proposed law states that ‘a person who suspects that an act constituting an offence under this Act has been committed or is about to be committed within or in relation to a public body has a duty to report to the Agency.’

The bill goes even further for those in leadership or positions of authority as it imposes stricter obligations on them.

It provides that ‘a person who holds a position of authority and who knows or ought reasonably to have known or suspected that another person has committed an offence under this Act shall lodge complaint of such knowledge or suspicion or cause such knowledge or suspicion to be reported to the Agency.’

Failure to comply with this legal obligation will itself become a criminal offence.

The bill warns that ‘a person who fails to comply with this section, commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding P10,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year.’

The proposed legislation also formalises procedures for reporting corruption, requiring the anti-corruption agency to officially acknowledge every complaint.

It states that ‘upon receipt of a report. the Agency shall take down the complaint in such manner as it considers appropriate, and immediately provide the person who made the report with an acknowledgment of receipt of such complaint.’

In addition, the agency will issue guidelines to ensure compliance, with the draft law noting that ‘the Agency shall issue such guidelines as it considers appropriate to ensure compliance with this section.’

The bill also empowers individuals to report suspected corruption even before it occurs.

It says ‘a person who alleges that another person has engaged or is about to engage in a corrupt practice may lodge a complaint with the Agency in such manner as may be prescribed.’

According to the draft, ‘the Agency may investigate a matter under this Act on receipt of a complaint or on its own initiative.’

Once a complaint is lodged, the Director-General will assess its merit before deciding whether to proceed with an investigation.

The bill explains that the Director-General ‘shall, upon receipt of a complaint. examine each alleged corrupt practice and decide whether or not an investigation in relation to the allegation is warranted.’

Factors to be considered include ‘the seriousness of the conduct,’ ‘whether or not the allegation is frivolous or vexatious,’ and whether an investigation would likely reveal an offence.

Complainants will also be formally notified of the outcome.

The propsed legislation states that ‘the Director-General or authorised officer shall inform the complainant, in writing, of the decision of the Agency in relation to the allegation.’

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.

Botswana Power Corporation (BPC)’s application to hike tarrifs by 46 percent has met stiff resistance from business groups and other consumers. They argue that a proposed 46% average electricity tariff increase would punish consumers for failures the utility itself has yet to fix.

The application, submitted by BPC for the 2026/27 financial year, would lift the weighted average tariff from P1.56 to P2.28 per kilowatt hour and eliminate government subsidies altogether. Stakeholders say the plan risks turning electricity pricing into a blunt instrument for cost recovery rather than a lever for reform.

One of the most detailed critiques comes from Mokenti Raborokgwe of the Botswana Exporters and Manufacturing Association (BEMA), who argues that the tariff application fundamentally misdiagnoses the problem. Drawing on BPC’s 2023 annual report, the most recent published, Raborokgwe contends that nearly half of the P9.039bn revenue requirement underpinning the application reflects avoidable inefficiencies rather than unavoidable structural costs.

‘Nearly P4.343bn of the revenue requirement is driven by inefficiency rather than reform,’ he says, warning that households and businesses are being asked to underwrite operational failures.

The sources of inefficiency are well documented. Presenting at the ‘Tariff Application Public Hearing’ hosted by the regulator Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) recently, Raborokgwe says system losses remain well above international best practice, payroll costs are high relative to customer numbers, and capital expenditure has repeatedly fallen short of plan, undermining reliability. Renewable penetration remains low, he says, leaving the system exposed to volatile imports.

‘Most damaging is the chronic underperformance of Morupule B Power Station, the country’s flagship coal facility. Operating at roughly 63% availability in 2023, it has forced BPC to import expensive power and rely on emergency generation, inflating costs that are then passed directly to consumers.’

Benchmarking against regional peers reinforces the point. On losses, generation availability, renewables share and staff productivity, Botswana’s utility lags comparable operators.

Raborokgwe argues that approving tariffs on a simple cost-recovery basis would entrench these shortcomings. ‘Approving tariffs on a cost-recovery basis would force households and businesses to subsidise inefficiency rather than reform,’ he says, insisting that regulation should focus on cost-reflective tariffs, prices aligned to efficient costs, rather than a blanket pass-through of all expenses.

He argues if avoidable inefficiencies were addressed, the revenue requirement would fall sharply, implying that only a single-digit tariff increase would be needed to restore balance. Even allowing for gradual improvement, Raborokgwe recommends a conditional, phased adjustment capped at about 24%, explicitly linked to measurable performance milestones in loss reduction, generation availability, payroll rationalisation and renewable deployment. Concerns about transparency add to the unease. BPC’s 2024 annual report has yet to be published, limiting scrutiny of recent performance and claimed improvements. Raborokgwe warns that ‘it is impossible for stakeholders to responsibly contribute to this debate without access to BPC’s 2024 Annual Report’, urging the regulator to withhold any final approval until current, auditable data are available. Without such disclosure, he argues, tariff decisions risk being made in an atmosphere of opacity.

Business groups echo these concerns, but focus more squarely on the economy-wide consequences. In a submission to the regulator, Business Botswana warned that the proposed increase is ‘unreasonable, unaffordable, [and] economically devastating for businesses and job creation’, adding that it is ‘based on flawed methodologies’.

Electricity is a key input across mining, manufacturing, tourism and services; a sudden increase of this magnitude would, the group argues, cascade through costs, prices and employment.

The timing is particularly sensitive. An average 24% tariff increase took effect in July 2025, and many firms are still adjusting. Imposing another sharp rise months later risks accelerating what economists describe as a ‘utility death spiral’: higher tariffs push customers to cut consumption or invest in self-generation, shrinking the sales base and forcing further increases. Business Botswana’s survey evidence is stark. Nearly 78% of respondents opposed the proposal, describing it as excessive and unjustified. Micro and informal enterprises-often thinly capitalised-would be hit hardest, while larger manufacturers anticipate multi-million-pula annual cost increases.

‘Electricity is already a major operating cost,’ the submission notes, warning of cost-push inflation and job losses. The regulator, BERA, sits uncomfortably between competing imperatives. It must ensure the commercial sustainability of the utility while protecting consumers and promoting economic efficiency. Business Botswana argues that a 46% jump fails test of necessity and proportionality, particularly amid weak growth and high unemployment.

It calls instead for predictable, multi-year pricing with single-digit annual increases, complemented by demonstrable efficiency gains and targeted relief for vulnerable sectors such as health, manufacturing and agriculture.

BPC insists that decisive action is unavoidable. Decades of tariff suppression, it says, have left the utility financially fragile and unable to invest adequately. Solar projects coming online will help diversify supply and reduce import costs, but legacy issues; debt, maintenance backlogs and unreliable generation, remain. Without a step change in revenues, BPC argues, these problems will persist.

However, consumers question why the costs of delayed projects, weak governance and underperforming assets should be socialised through tariffs rather than addressed through shareholder support, restructuring or tighter oversight. They urge more sophisticated pricing-time-of-use tariffs, differentiated rates for energy-intensive industries, and targeted subsidies to soften the economic blow while reforms take hold.

On paper, Botswana enjoys privileged access to the American market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a cornerstone of Washington’s trade policy toward sub-Saharan Africa. In practice, officials here say, the pathway is narrower than it appears.

Chief Negotiator at Botswana’s ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship, Phazha Butale, argues that while the zero-tariff policy under AGOA may be low, the regulatory terrain is anything but. ‘There are hidden rules and processes that producers, businesspeople, exporters – and by extension Africa – must comply with,’ he said, noting that complying with them imposes a significant financial burden.

As an example, for Botswana’s horticulture producers, that terrain includes complex pesticide residue limits and detailed labelling requirements that echo European consumer expectations. For large agribusinesses in Europe, such systems are routine.

Under AGOA’s rules of origin, a specified share of a product’s inputs must be sourced domestically. Butale said ‘the rules of origin’ require that a certain proportion of inputs, in some cases up to 60 percent, be sourced locally. ‘There are other requirements for standards,’ says Butale, adding that ‘You have to meet the standards of the US regulations’ whether the export is pharmaceuticals, fresh produce or manufactured goods.

For years, the European Union (E.U) has imposed stringent standards on imports, requiring traceability systems, veterinary controls and disease-free zones that are costly to maintain. Botswana, one of Africa’s most established beef exporters, has invested heavily to comply. It built an elaborate cattle identification system and upgraded facilities at the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC). Yet exports have been periodically suspended when outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease were detected in parts of the country, even when those outbreaks were geographically distant from export zones.

In 2011 and again in 2015, the EU temporarily banned beef imports from Botswana after such outbreaks, citing biosecurity concerns. The suspensions hit rural farmers hardest, reducing slaughter volumes and export revenues. While European regulators described the measures as necessary to protect animal health within the bloc, officials in Gaborone argued that the blanket restrictions did not always reflect the realities on the ground.

Butale indicated that the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) is ‘actively working with people in the North-West to try and improve their productive capacity to be able to meet these quality criteria of the US market.’ Yet the burden of proof often falls disproportionately on exporters from countries such as Botswana. Butale said Botswana is working with the Botswana Bureau of Standards in order to ‘reach a point where we standardise so that the standards applicable in Botswana are also the same standards applicable in the US, Europe and in China so that there is a level playing field.’

The European Union’s rules are not unique. In the United States, the Food Safety Modernisation Act expanded requirements for foreign suppliers, obliging exporters to demonstrate compliance with preventive controls and hazard analysis standards. For Botswana, navigating these frameworks can mean hiring consultants, upgrading cold chains and absorbing delays at ports, costs that can erode already thin margins.

Trade economists describe these measures as ‘non-tariff barriers.’ Unlike tariffs, which are transparent taxes on imports, regulatory standards are often justified on health, safety or environmental grounds. In many cases, they reflect legitimate public concerns. European consumers expect strict oversight of food safety; American lawmakers are under pressure to prevent contamination and disease.

Critics argue that while Western standards may be scientifically defensible, they can function as de facto trade barriers when applied rigidly. A temporary suspension can shutter abattoirs and ripple through rural economies in countries such as Botswana.