The long-distance bus industry is facing renewed scrutiny after labour inspections uncovered widespread violations involving excessive working hours, unpaid overtime and denial of rest days for employees.
The issues surfaced in Parliament last week following a question by Maun East MP Goretetse Kekgonegile, who asked the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs to brief the House on labour conditions in the sector.
In response, the ministry acknowledged that it has not yet conducted comprehensive inspections across the entire long-distance bus sub-sector. Instead, authorities have relied largely on spot checks aimed at assessing compliance with labour laws.
Labour Minister Pius Mokgware said the inspections have revealed several recurring problems affecting workers in the industry. These include failure by employers to pay overtime, unauthorised salary deductions, denial of rest days and the requirement for employees to work extended hours that may lead to fatigue.
According to Mokgware, the problems reflect broader compliance challenges within parts of the transport sector.
Botswana’s Employment Act stipulates that employees should not work more than nine hours in a single day or exceed 45 hours in a five-day working week. Any additional hours must be compensated at an overtime rate equivalent to one and a half times the worker’s normal hourly wage.
Drivers in the long-distance bus industry are classified as skilled employees, meaning their remuneration is expected to reflect their level of responsibility, experience and technical ability.
Mokgware said disputes relating to working hours and pay have been recorded, with non-compliance attributed partly to misunderstanding of labour legislation and, in some instances, exploitative practices by employers. Government said labour reforms introduced under the Employment and Labour Relations Act of 2025 aim to strengthen worker protections and address concerns raised about working conditions in the sector.