Category: Sunday Standard

Botswana is facing a massive development financing gap of about P82.5 billion as available financing falls far short of the resources required to fund the country’s development ambitions. This is revealed by the African Development Bank Group’s Country Focus Report 2026-Botswana.

The report estimates that Botswana’s financing needs reached US$6.4 billion (about P85.1 billion) between 2021 and 2025 while financing flows averaged only US$217.2 million (about P2.9 billion) a year over the same period.

This created a cumulative financing gap of approximately US$6.2 billion (about P82.5 billion).

The AfDB says closing the gap will require Botswana to mobilise capital on a much larger scale if it is to sustain economic growth, diversify the economy and create jobs.

‘Mobilizing capital at scale is imperative for the country’s sustained growth, accelerated structural transformation and large-scale job creation,’ the report states.

The report shows that the development financing challenge comes as Botswana faces declining diamond revenues and increasing pressure on public finances.

According to the report, Botswana’s total domestic fiscal revenue declined from US$6.2 billion (about P82.5 billion) in 2021 to US$5.0 billion (about P66.5 billion) as economic growth weakened and global diamond prices fell. At the same time, the revenue-to-GDP ratio dropped from 31.4 percent to 24.9 percent.

The AfDB warns that Botswana’s traditional dependence on mineral revenues is becoming increasingly risky.

‘Declining diamond revenues, rising expenditure pressures, and constrained fiscal space have ramped up the need for more diversified and sustainable financing sources,’ the report says.

The bank argues that Botswana must broaden its tax base, strengthen tax administration and embrace digitalisation to increase domestic revenue.

It also calls for stronger public financial management, better expenditure efficiency and strategic borrowing.

The report raises concerns about weaknesses in public investment management including poor project selection, implementation delays and capacity constraints.

It says such weaknesses can result in delays and cost overruns, reducing the economic impact of government spending.

‘Improving public investment management could raise growth without proportionately increasing spending,’ the AfDB says.

The bank argues that better project preparation, procurement, expenditure tracking and transparency could ensure that public money produces stronger economic and social returns.

The report also says the private sector and domestic capital markets as important sources of long-term development financing.

It says Botswana should strengthen partnerships with development finance institutions and private investors to finance infrastructure, economic diversification and climate-resilient development.

The AfDB also sees Botswana’s diaspora as an underused source of development capital.

Botswana received US$128.3 million (about P1.7 billion) in remittances in 2024, representing a 110 percent increase from 2021.The report says Botswana could channel more diaspora savings into productive investment through instruments such as diaspora bonds and dedicated investment funds.

It argues that the challenge is not simply the size of the diaspora, but the absence of suitable financial instruments and incentives.’Botswana can strengthen its approach by developing a formal diaspora policy, enhancing financial infrastructure, and introducing instruments such as diaspora bonds or dedicated investment funds,’ the report says.

By 2038, Botswana’s population is projected to reach nearly 3 million people while the country becomes more urban, older and increasingly concentrated around its major economic centres.

The country is on course to have a population of 2,954,519 people by 2038, according to new projections by Statistics Botswana. This marks a substantial increase from the 2,359,609 people recorded in the 2022 Population and Housing Census.

The projections, contained in Botswana Population Projections 2022-2038, put the country’s average annual population growth at 1.4% under the medium variant, which Statistics Botswana identifies as the most likely scenario and the official baseline for planning.

The projected increase will, however, come alongside a profound demographic shift. Botswana will not simply have more people; its population will also be older and increasingly urban.

By 2038, the proportion of people aged between 0 and 14 is expected to fall from 31.3% in 2023 to 25.8%, while those aged 65 and above will increase from 5.5% to 6.6%. The working-age population is projected to account for 67.6% of the population, creating the possibility of a demographic dividend if the economy can generate sufficient jobs and opportunities.

The median age is expected to rise from 26 years in 2023 to 29 years in 2038, reflecting falling fertility and improved survival. The dependency ratio will also decline from 0.58 to 0.48, meaning fewer children and elderly people will depend on each working-age person.

At the same time, Botswana will become significantly more urban. The share of the population living in urban areas is projected to rise from 70.4% in 2023 to 76% by 2038.

The growth will be particularly pronounced around Gaborone and surrounding districts, as well as Palapye, Mahalapye, Serowe, Tonota, Tutume and Francistown. Statistics Botswana warns that these areas will face increasing pressure on housing, transport, infrastructure and environmental resources.

The demographic transformation will also be visible in Botswana’s birth rates. The total fertility rate is projected to decline from 2.86 children per woman in 2023 to 2.20 by 2038, while annual births are expected to fall from 55,850 to 49,415.

Yet people are expected to live longer. Total life expectancy is projected to increase from 68.9 years in 2023 to 74.7 years in 2038, with female life expectancy reaching 77.1 years and male life expectancy 72.1 years.

The population growth will also be unevenly distributed. Mogoditshane, Okavango, Tonota, Tutume, Boteti, Letlhakeng and Mahalapye are among the areas projected to grow fastest. By contrast, Tsabong, Hukuntsi, Charles Hill, Ghanzi/CKGR, Chobe and Sowa Town are expected to experience slower growth and faster ageing.

Businessman Bakang Seretse wants certain key members of Judicial Service Commission (JSC) left out in the determination of his official complaint against justice Edwin Cameron.

In the complaint submitted to Chief Justice Gaopalelwe Ketlogetswe, Seretse has asked that both Attorney General Dick Bayford and Court of Appeal President Justice Tebogo Tau recuse themselves from any consideration of the case, arguing that their involvement would create an appearance of conflict of interest.

The complaint arises from two Court of Appeal judgments authored by Cameron in litigation involving Seretse and his companies. Seretse alleges that the judgments demonstrate apparent prejudgment, unequal application of legal standards and repeated use of personalised judicial language.

But beyond the allegations against Cameron, the complaint raises a potentially sensitive institutional question: who should be permitted to sit in judgment of the complaint itself?

Under the constitutional framework, the Attorney General ordinarily serves as a member of the Judicial Service Commission. However, Seretse argues that the Attorney General’s office was directly involved in one of the disputes that forms the basis of the complaint.

According to the complaint, the underlying litigation involved government legal interests represented by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions in one matter and the Attorney General’s Chambers in another. In the Khulaco appeal, the Attorney General was a named litigant through his constitutional office and government lawyers advanced the state’s case before the Court of Appeal.

Seretse argues that these circumstances create a direct institutional conflict.

‘The Complainants therefore respectfully request that the Attorney General, Mr Dick Bayford, take no part in the JSC’s consideration, deliberation or decision on this complaint,’ the filing states. The complaint further asks the commission to formally determine the question of Bayford’s recusal before considering the substance of the allegations against Cameron.

A similar request has been made regarding Justice Tebogo Tau. Tau, who serves as President of the Court of Appeal and is also a member of the JSC, sat on the three-judge panel that delivered the July 2026 judgment in the Khulaco matter. The judgment, authored by Cameron, forms a central part of Seretse’s complaint. Seretse argues that because Tau concurred in the judgment under scrutiny, it would be inappropriate for her to participate in deliberations concerning allegations arising from the same proceedings.

‘The Complainants respectfully consider it appropriate that Justice Tau take no part in the JSC’s consideration, deliberation or determination of the complaint,’ the filing states.

There is an old paradox about the Okavango Delta. It is one of the most photographed landscapes on Earth, yet the people who have shaped its history remain largely invisible.

For decades, filmmakers have returned to Botswana’s UNESCO World Heritage Site to capture sweeping aerial shots of papyrus channels, elephant herds and spectacular sunsets. The Delta has become shorthand for wilderness – beautiful, pristine and seemingly untouched.

Batho ba Metsi (People of the Water), the latest documentary from the Nkashi Trust, quietly dismantles that familiar narrative.

Premiered on Tuesday 4 August before an invited audience at the Btv Auditorium, including President Duma Boko, the film asks audiences to stop admiring the landscape long enough to notice the people living within it. It is less interested in the Delta as a destination than as a homeland, less fascinated by wildlife than by those who have coexisted with it for centuries.

The result is one of the most important Botswana documentaries in recent years – not because it uncovers an unknown place, but because it reveals familiar territory through unfamiliar eyes.

Produced by one of Botswana’s finest filmmakers Moabi Mogorosi as a follow-up to the acclaimed Nkashi: Race for the Okavango (2023), the documentary also marks an important milestone behind the camera. For the first time in the series, the entire production – from cinematography to sound and editing – was entrusted to a wholly Batswana crew. That decision is more than symbolic. It lends the film an authenticity that is difficult to manufacture, allowing local voices to shape not only the story but also the way it is told.

Former Miss Botswana Palesa Molefe serves as the audience’s guide. Travelling from Gaborone into the Delta, she functions less as a television presenter than as an attentive listener. Her restrained narration avoids becoming the centre of attention, allowing interviewees to carry the emotional weight of the film. It is a wise editorial choice. Rather than explaining the Delta to viewers, the documentary lets the Delta explain itself.

The film never loses sight of its central question.

Who owns the Delta?

It is a deceptively simple question with no easy answer.

The documentary refuses to reduce the issue to slogans. Instead, it presents a mosaic of perspectives from the Basarwa, WaYeyi and HaMbukushu communities alongside scientists, conservationists and tourism stakeholders. Rather than portraying indigenous knowledge and modern science as opposing worldviews, Batho ba Metsi presents them as complementary systems of understanding. Traditional ecological knowledge, accumulated over centuries of observation, is given equal weight alongside academic research.

This intellectual generosity becomes one of the documentary’s defining achievements.

Instead of asking viewers to choose between science and tradition, it demonstrates that each enriches the other.

Perhaps the documentary’s greatest emotional strength lies in its exploration of identity and belonging.

Throughout the film, ‘home’ emerges not merely as a geographical location but as an enduring emotional and spiritual attachment. That idea finds its most moving expression through Professor Lydia Nyati-Ramahobo Saleshando, the renowned WaYeyi scholar and cultural activist whose interview became one of her final recorded public reflections before her passing.

Speaking from her home in Gaborone, she recalls Ikoga, the tiny Delta village of her birth that scarcely appears on maps but occupies an immense place in her memory. Her words transcend the politics of cultural recognition to become something profoundly universal. They speak to anyone who has ever left home in search of opportunity while discovering that physical distance can never sever emotional roots.

Her testimony gives the documentary extraordinary emotional resonance.

It also transforms the film into an important historical record.

Professor Nyati-Ramahobo Saleshando is not the only voice preserved for posterity. Community elder Monnaaphuthego Oja, another respected advocate for conservation and local development who died before the film’s release, appears with equal dignity. His hope that young people should share more meaningfully in the economic benefits generated by the Delta resonates long after the credits roll.

The film’s treatment of economic inequality is refreshingly honest.

Behind the international image of luxury safari camps lies another reality: communities confronting unemployment, limited opportunities and the persistent feeling that the wealth generated by the Delta seldom reaches those who have lived there the longest.

Equally compelling is the documentary’s treatment of human-wildlife conflict.

For international audiences, the Okavango often represents an untouched Eden. For residents, however, coexistence with elephants, lions and other wildlife carries daily risks. The documentary avoids romanticising either conservation or development. Instead, it captures the difficult compromises required when protecting biodiversity also means protecting human lives and livelihoods.

Mogorosi’s direction is characterised by unusual humility.

Many documentaries position the filmmaker as interpreter or authority. Here, he deliberately steps back. As he explains, the production team approached the project as students rather than experts, recognising that the communities themselves were the true custodians of the story. That philosophy is evident throughout the film. The documentary never speaks for its subjects; it creates space for them to speak for themselves.

In doing so, Batho ba Metsi accomplishes something increasingly rare in documentary filmmaking. It trusts its audience.

It does not manufacture heroes and villains. It does not force simplistic conclusions. It acknowledges that questions of conservation, cultural identity, historical injustice and economic development rarely yield comfortable answers.

Instead, it invites viewers into a conversation.

That restraint may ultimately prove to be the film’s greatest strength.

Under the leadership of Dr Steve Boyes, the Nkashi Trust has consistently championed the integration of indigenous knowledge into conservation science. Batho ba Metsi represents the clearest cinematic expression of that philosophy to date. It argues, quietly but persuasively, that conservation cannot succeed if it excludes the very communities whose knowledge has sustained these ecosystems for generations.

In the end, Batho ba Metsi is about far more than the Okavango Delta.

It is about memory, belonging, as well as the uneasy relationship between heritage and development.

Most importantly, it restores human beings to a landscape from which they have too often been edited out.

Beautifully photographed, thoughtfully edited and emotionally resonant, the documentary challenges audiences to look beyond Botswana’s most celebrated landscape and recognise the generations of people whose stories flow through its waters.

The Delta has always had a voice. Batho ba Metsi simply allows us to hear it.

Bakang Seretse and his company, Khulaco, may have lost their appeal in spectacular fashion, but the Court of Appeal refused to make two findings that would have carried even heavier consequences.

Despite describing the case in unusually strong language, the court declined to find that Seretse had committed fraud.

The judgment leaves Seretse facing an order to repay P42 million. But the court drew a distinction between the serious allegations made by government and what it could determine on the evidence before it.

Government had argued that the conduct amounted to fraud and asked the court to award costs on a punitive scale. The Court of Appeal declined.

Although the judges said there remained a ‘whiff of fraud’ over the transactions, they said they were not making a finding of fraud itself. The appeal was decided on different legal grounds. Those included breach of fiduciary duty, undisclosed conflicts of interest and the obligation to account for profits received.

The judges also rejected government’s attempt to secure attorney-and-client costs, one of the harshest costs orders available in civil litigation.

Instead, the court awarded costs on the ordinary scale. The ruling means Seretse and Khulaco remain liable for substantial legal costs, but avoid the additional financial penalty that accompanies punitive costs orders.

The judgment nevertheless leaves little doubt about the court’s view of the case.

The judges found that Seretse occupied a fiduciary position in relation to the National Petroleum Fund. They concluded that he failed to disclose interests in companies involved in the transaction and that Khulaco was required to account to government for the P42 million it received.

The court also criticised the defence mounted by Seretse and Khulaco. It said they failed to provide meaningful answers to key allegations raised by government during the summary judgment proceedings. Still, the judges drew a clear line between suspicion and proof. Their reference to a ‘whiff of fraud’ were a reflection of concerns arising from the evidence. But they did not elevate those concerns into a formal finding that fraud had been established.This was one of the few legal victories in an otherwise comprehensive defeat for Seretse and company. The judgment leaves him liable for the money government sought to recover. But it also confirms that the Court of Appeal was not prepared to make findings that went beyond what was necessary to resolve the appeal.

Three years ago, Botswana Darts Association (BODA) slipped out of its status among the AUSC Region 5 top three. As BODA prepares to host the AUSC Region 5 Games from 24 to 28 August 2026 at the Aquarian Tide Hotel in Gaborone, the target is simple. Return back to their perch among the region’s top three.

BODA Secretary Kagiso Kitso says the squad they have assembled for the home tournament will be pushing to win the championship. For this tournament, BODA will deploy a mix of Under 25, Senior and Veteran players across the men’s and women’s divisions. Kitso is of the view that the selected team, more especially the senior squad, is the strongest Botswana has fielded in years. The final squad was selected during trials in Palapye.

Winning aside, the BODA Secretary is optimistic that hosting the tournament will boost the popularity of the sport locally. BODA says hosting will increase the sport’s visibility nationally and improve government backing. ‘Hosting the Region 5 Games is a breakthrough. It gives darts national visibility, government support, and a chance to prove we can host world-class events. The Games will benefit Gaborone’s tourism and business sectors.’

With seven countries expected to be represented during the tournament in Gaborone, team delegations are expected to fill hotels and patronise restaurants and transport services over the five-day event.

‘For development, it means our final squad prepares at home, with more training and no travel stress. It tells every young Motswana that darts is a real pathway to represent Botswana. Players get international competition at home along with regional ranking points and qualification opportunities.’

As it is, BODA seeks to use the regional championships as a springboard for a better future. Kitso outlined BODA already has a long-term strategy built on three pillars. These include keeping the current squad active through monthly leagues and training, expanding BODA’s school and community programmes to grow its player base, as well as pushing for Region 5 darts to gain international recognition by aligning its rules and rankings with global standards.

‘BODA plans to align its rules, rankings and events to international standards so that a Region 5 champion can compete at African and World level without extra qualifiers, The goal is to produce Botswana players who are not just Region 5 champions, but African and World champions.’

Kitso acknowledged that BODA faces significant obstacles, including funding constraints, a shortage of facilities outside Gaborone, difficulty keeping players consistently active, strong regional competition, and the challenge of securing international recognition for Region 5 darts. However, he noted BODA is tackling the challenges with better structures, more partnerships and by using Region 5 games as a launch pad.

Meanwhile, Botswana’s squad for the regional championships includes seniors Letlhogela Mosepele, Mothusi Moakofi, Jimmy Moshokgo, Tshupo Ramotlhala, Tomeletso Poloka, Topo Mongweemang, Boipelo Masimele, Keneilwe Kabanna, Charity Mashiakgomo, Irene Otukile, Moabi Othapile and Malebogo Subule.

U25 comprises Thatayotlhe Robert, Theo Rantshabo, Botlhe Baliki, Lame Poloka, Rachel Moremi and Gaone Ishmael.

Veterans include George Lekang, Moitshupi Seomile, Arthur Jansen, Gaolatlhe Setlhare, Tebogo Lesaba and Florah Chikhwai.

Having spent time in Asset Management Operations, one thing has become very clear; expectations have changed, and they have changed quickly. Clients no longer have the patience for slow turnaround times or opaque processes. They want real-time visibility, faster execution, and a level of service that feels effortless. At the same time, regulation has not eased, if anything, it has become more demanding. Governance, Risk and Compliance expectations continue to grow in both scope and complexity.

The question is not whether firms should prioritise efficiency or control. The real challenge is figuring out how to deliver both consistently.

Operations Has Quietly Become Strategic

Operations used to sit in the background. It was largely process-driven, often manual, and not always seen as a source of competitive advantage. This is no longer the case. Today, Operations sits right at the centre of client experience, regulatory compliance, and business scalability. It is where expectations collide: speed versus accuracy, cost versus control, automation versus oversight.

Clients are not benchmarking us against other asset managers anymore; they are comparing our service to the best digital experience they have had recently. Which changes the bar completely. The pressure is real.

Technology Helped – But Also Exposed Gaps

Most firms have already invested heavily in automation, workflow tools, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and more recently, Artificial Intelligence (AI). These investments have improved processing speed and reduced manual effort. But they have also surfaced something uncomfortable. Speed is relatively easy to improve in isolation. What is much harder is improving speed without weakening controls or increasing risk.

In some cases, the opposite happens. A process is automated, but then layer on additional approvals, manual overrides, or duplicate checks, often in response to audit findings or regulatory concerns. Before long, we have recreated complexity in a different form. There are some processes which are technically automated but still feel slow because of how many touchpoints sit around them.

The Problem with Layering Controls

Controls rarely get removed; they accumulate. Each audit point, each incident, each regulatory update tends to introduce another control. Individually, they all make sense. Collectively, they can become heavy.

Over time, we end up with multiple reviews of the same data, unnecessary approvals, and manual interventions that do not meaningfully reduce risk anymore. They just slow things down. This is where organisations start to lose the balance they were trying to achieve in the first place.

A Shift Toward Risk-Based Thinking

The firms that seem to be navigating this better are the ones leaning into risk-based approaches. Not every client, transaction, or process carries the same level of risk, so why treat them as if they do? When we start segmenting by risk, things open up. Lower-risk activities can move quickly through automated workflows, while attention is given where it actually matters.

It sounds obvious, but it requires a mindset shift. It means being comfortable with not applying the same level of control everywhere – and having confidence in the framework that supports that decision.

Embedding Controls, Not Adding Them

Another shift is around how controls are applied. In more mature environments, controls are not something that sits around the process; they are built into it. Systems enforce rules automatically, flag exceptions in real time, and prevent errors before they happen rather than detecting them after the fact.

AI is starting to play a role here as well, particularly in areas like anomaly detection, document verification, and transaction monitoring. Used well, it does not remove human judgement; it just changes where that judgement is applied. Instead of reviewing everything, teams can focus on what actually looks unusual or high-risk. This is a much better use of time.

It Still Comes Down to People and Alignment

Technology alone does not solve this. Getting the balance right requires alignment across Investment Operations, Risk and Compliance, and Internal Audit. The Three Lines of Defense model is not new, but in practice, it is often fragmented. When these functions operate in silos, we tend to get tension. Speed on one side, and control on the other. When they work together early in the design of processes, the outcome is very different. We get workflows that are both efficient and defensible from a risk and regulatory standpoint.

Don’t Forget the Client View

It is easy to get caught up in internal priorities, but the client experience is where all of this ultimately shows up. Clients do not see our r control framework; they feel the delays, the repeated requests for information, the lack of transparency when something is stuck. They care about security and compliance, but they also care about responsiveness. If processes become too cumbersome, it starts to erode confidence, even if everything is technically ‘working as designed.’

Where This Is Heading

Operational excellence is no longer about being the most controlled or the most efficient in isolation. It is about how well we integrate both.

The firms that will stand out are the ones that simplify where possible, apply controls intelligently, and use technology in a way that enhances, not complicates, how work gets done. That is not easy, and there is no single blueprint. But it starts with being willing to question existing processes, not just adding to them.

Because in the end, moving faster only creates value if we are still in control, and having strong controls only matters if they don’t stop us from moving.

Botswana Defence Force (BDF) retirees have escalated their long-running pension dispute with government, demanding permission to stage a peaceful march to President Duma Boko’s Office and threatening urgent High Court action if authorities continue to ignore their request.

In a statutory notice and letter of demand dated 4 August 2026 lawyers representing retired soldiers accused the Office of the President of failing to respond for nearly two months to a request to deliver a petition directly to the President over the controversial 1/375 Transfer Value Enhancement pension payments.

The legal notice, addressed to the Permanent Secretary to the President, the Commissioner of Police, the Attorney General and the Ministry for State President, Defence and Security gives government 24 hours to facilitate the march or face litigation. The retirees are represented by Rt Lieutenant General Gaolathe Galebotswe and others who say they have exhausted engagements with the Ministry for State President, Defence and Security without resolving their grievances. According to the letter, the group first requested on 8 June 2026 to present a petition to President Boko on 30 June but says the Office of the President has never acknowledged or acted on the request.

‘Despite the clear and formal request, and the significant period of time that has since elapsed, no response has been received from the Office of the President, no convenient date has been pronounced… and no arrangements whatsoever have been made to facilitate the receipt of the petition,’ the lawyers state.

The former soldiers argue that government’s silence amounts to a failure to uphold constitutional rights guaranteeing freedom of expression, assembly and association.

‘The proposed date of the 30th June 2026 has long passed without any engagement,’ the retirees argue through their lawyers.

They contend that the State has a constitutional obligation to facilitate not frustrate the peaceful exercise of those rights. ‘This duty includes, but is not limited to: Designating a suitable and authorised person within the Office of the President to receive the Petition; Enabling and facilitating a peaceful public procession or march for the purpose of delivering the said Petition and ensuring that the Botswana Police Service provides the necessary escort, security and protection for such peaceful procession.’

‘Our Clients and their Members are entitled, as of right under Section 13 of the Constitution of Botswana, to the protection of their freedom of assembly and association… They are further entitled under Section 12 of the Constitution to freedom of expression… and to petition the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief in respect of their legitimate grievances,’ the letter from Monthe Marumo and Co. letter reads. The lawyers are demanding that the Office of the President designate an authorised official to receive the petition, while the Botswana Police Service is being asked to issue the necessary procession permit and provide police escort for what they insist will be a peaceful march.

The lawyers further demand that the petition be received within seven days of the notice. Failure to comply, they warn, will trigger urgent court proceedings seeking declarations affirming the retirees’ constitutional rights to march and protest, together with court orders compelling the Office of the President to receive the petition and directing police to facilitate the procession.

‘The State… has a corresponding constitutional duty to facilitate, and not to hinder, the peaceful exercise of these fundamental rights,’ the notice states. The legal team says it will also seek costs against the State should the matter proceed to court. The latest development is a fresh escalation in the long-running dispute over the 1/375 Transfer Value Enhancement payments, an issue that has remained a source of discontent among retired military personnel despite months of engagement with government.

Francistown is grappling with a fresh wave of illegal gold mining activities and there are fears that it could be fueled by an influx of Zimbabwean immigrants into the city who are escaping anti-immigrants tensions in South Africa.

Anti-immigration protests and marches targeting undocumented foreign nationals have erupted across major South African cities like Johannesburg, Cape town and Durban led by citizen groups such as March and March and Dudula Operation. Demonstrators are demanding the South African government to deport illegal immigrants and to enforce strict border controls. Some protests have led to violence and intimidation forcing thousands of immigrants from countries such as Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi and Mozambique out of that country.The violence and attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa has been widely classified by human rights organizations, the United Nations and international organizations as ‘xenophobic’.

Information reaching the Sunday Standard suggests that police in Francistown have identified fresh illegal mining activities in Francistown and the surrounding villages particularly Matsiloje, Patayamatebele and Matshelagabedi.

Francistown which is a historic gold mining town and its surroundings has over the years experienced illegal gold mining activities mainly from undocumented Zimbabwean nationals targeting old disused shafts. This escalated into a major national security and economic concern. The unregulated miners commonly referred to as ‘Zama Zamas’ similar to the illegal mining syndicates in South Africa use metal detectors and basic tools to extract gold under highly hazardous conditions. Devoid of protective gear, these illegal miners navigate structurally unstable deep shafts which sometimes result in collapse related fatalities.

However several efforts to contact the Officer Commanding No.1 District, Senior Superintendent Paul Chaluza to confirm these allegations last week were unsuccessful as his mobile phone was not answered.

A highly placed source within the law enforcement authorities revealed to the Sunday Standard that they have identified new illegal mining holes in some areas of the city such as Selepa, Matsiloje and Patayamatebele.

‘We are already experiencing an influx of illegal immigrants into the city and we believe that most of them are fleeing from South Africa amid anti-immigrant tensions in that country. Most of them are of Zimbabwean origin and possibilities are high that they are the ones re-igniting a surge in illegal mining activities. Remember South Africa has also been under siege from illegal immigrants engaged in illegal mining popularly known as the ‘Zama Zamas,’ said the source. He however said initially they had been making progress in the fight against illegal mining.

Last year the law enforcement which includes the Botswana Defence Force(BDF) and the Botswana Police Services(BPS) were deployed in the area conducting patrols and made hundreds of arrests. The operation dubbed ‘Operation Kamani’ led to a significant reduction of illegal mining activities.

While anti-migrant tensions increased pressure on foreigners in South Africa, the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs in Botswana announced that there was no unusual border crossings or influxes. Meanwhile, Botswana government has also stated that it will not serve as an open sanctuary for those fleeing neighbouring unrest. The government further said individuals arriving without proper documentation are not processed as conventional refugees but are instead, assisted with safe return to their home countries.

At a time when fashion houses across the world are searching for new stories to tell, Botswana luxury designer Koki Chiepe is looking inward.

Her exhibition, Heritage Reimagined: Living Archives, transformed the National Museum in Gaborone into something more than a fashion venue. It became an exercise in cultural memory – a space where landscapes, ceremonies and indigenous knowledge were translated into contemporary design without losing sight of their origins.

The exhibition asked a deceptively simple question: What happens when a country’s heritage becomes its design language?

The answer unfolded through textiles, jewellery, leather goods and carefully curated installations that drew from some of Botswana’s most recognisable cultural and natural landmarks. The golden hues of the savanna appeared in elegant fabric compositions, while the distinctive patterns of Botswana’s cracked earth inspired original prints that surfaced throughout the exhibition. Even the silk garments worn by museum ushers formed part of the visual narrative, blurring the line between exhibition and performance.

What emerged was less a fashion showcase than a conversation between place and design.

Among the exhibition’s most compelling references was the Okavango Delta. The winding waterways of the UNESCO World Heritage Site inspired flowing textile compositions that mirrored the movement of water across the landscape. The humble water lily, one of the Delta’s most recognisable symbols, was reimagined as sculptural jewellery – earrings, rings and brooches that transformed a familiar botanical form into contemporary adornment.

Elsewhere, the focus shifted to Tsodilo Hills, a site often described as the ‘Louvre of the Desert’ because of its extraordinary concentration of ancient rock art. Rather than treating the site as a relic of the past, Chiepe used its visual language as a starting point for modern textile design, luxury accessories and jewellery. The result suggested that heritage need not remain frozen in time to retain its significance.

The exhibition’s emotional centre, however, lay in its interpretation of Botswana’s ceremonial textiles – Tjale and Mogagolwane.

For generations, these textiles have occupied a special place in Botswana’s social and cultural life, appearing at graduations, family gatherings, weddings and other important milestones. They are markers of identity and belonging, woven into both memory and everyday experience.

Chiepe resisted the temptation to reproduce these traditions literally. Instead, she translated their visual vocabulary into silk textiles, contemporary garments and luxury accessories. Mogagolwane-inspired prints appeared alongside intricate beadwork, including hand-crafted flamingo motifs that drew on Botswana’s wildlife heritage. The pieces felt familiar yet contemporary, rooted in tradition while speaking to a global luxury audience.

This balancing act – between preservation and reinvention – runs through the exhibition.

It is also central to Chiepe’s understanding of luxury.

‘For me, luxury begins with knowing who we are,’ she says.

‘When I look at Botswana, I see one of the richest design archives in the world. I see the Okavango Delta, the Tsodilo Hills, the Tjale, the Mogagolwane, the savanna, the cracked earth, our baskets, our indigenous knowledge and the remarkable craftsmanship that surrounds us.’

Her argument challenges longstanding assumptions about where luxury originates. Rather than positioning African heritage as inspiration for global fashion, Chiepe places it at the centre of the conversation. Botswana’s landscapes, cultural symbols and artisanal traditions are not references to be borrowed from; they are the archive itself.

That philosophy extended beyond the finished garments.

Each collection was accompanied by the story behind its creation, offering visitors insight into the research, symbolism and craftsmanship embedded in every piece. Through collaborations with artisans specialising in weaving, beadwork, leather craftsmanship, brass work and textile development across Africa and Asia, the exhibition highlighted the role of skilled makers in preserving cultural knowledge.

In an era of mass production and fast fashion, the emphasis on craft felt deliberate.

For Chiepe, heritage survives not simply through preservation, but through continued use, reinterpretation and exchange.

‘Heritage should never stand still,’ she says. ‘We honour it by allowing it to evolve with dignity and respect.’

The exhibition remained open for five days after its runway presentation, inviting visitors to engage with it as both a fashion experience and an educational journey through Botswana’s cultural landscapes. Through garments, photography, jewellery and storytelling, Heritage Reimagined: Living Archives positioned heritage not as a static collection of artefacts, but as a living resource capable of generating new ideas and new forms of expression.

In doing so, it offered a compelling vision of what contemporary African luxury can look like: confident in its identity, grounded in place and unafraid to tell its own stories.