… According to BERA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Never Tshabang, the closure of six filling stations, including major names such as Engen in Tlokweng and Shell outlets in Sikwane and Lobatse, underscores the seriousness with which BERA is approaching its mandate. …
Scores of hikers today navigated uneven, and the dynamic hilly, sandy and urban terrains boldly bracing the chilly, and drizzling weather during the Lobatse Heritage hike. …
… According to BERA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Never Tshabang, the closure of six filling stations, including major names such as Engen in Tlokweng and Shell outlets in Sikwane and Lobatse, underscores the seriousness with which BERA is approaching its mandate. …
… The affected filling stations include Engen in Tlokweng along the A12 road, TotalEnergies in Metlojane, Cooperative Society Filling Station in Goodhope, and Shell filling stations in Sikwane and Lobatse.BERA emphasised that the closures did not come without warning, noting that t …
… The Ministry of Sport and Arts, alongside that of of Child Welfare and Basic Education, officially elaunched school sports and arts in Lobatse earlier this year, with the primary phase focusing on basic training, physical education, and inter-house competitions. …
While the government is currently grappling with sluggish economic growth and Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak, some key priority projects targeted at economic resuscitation, and strategic employment creation opportunities are on course, says Member of Parliament for Lobatse Mr Ka …
… Speaking during the handover ceremony, Farouk Ismail Group (Pty) Ltd Managing Director, Mr Faizel Ismail, said his decision to support the hospital was driven by his strong ties to Lobatse, where he was born and raised. …
Sunday Standard Beef industry remains in limbo Botswana’s beef industry is seeking answers as the closure of the Botswana Meat Commission’s (BMC) Lobatse abattoir stretches into months following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), deepening concerns over farmer incomes, …
… Launching the new kid on the block, Lobatse based First Touch Football Academy on Friday, Ramoreboli said valuable football assets were better groomed from an early age. …
… BMS will officially launch the Karting Africa Academy Botswana Grassroots Development Programme this Saturday at The Freak Show Karting Track in Lobatse, becoming the first African nation to roll out the continental initiative.Dithapo said karting remains the foundation of global …
Botswana's Energy Regulatory Authority has temporarily shut six filling stations, including Engen in Tlokweng and Shell outlets in Sikwane and Lobatse, for breaching safety and environmental standards since May 2026. Deficiencies cited include non-functional oil-water separators, inadequate fire protection systems, and absence of leak monitoring wells.
Why it matters
BERA's closure of six fuel stations for safety and environmental violations directly affects consumer access to essential services and regulatory enforcement.
Botswana's Energy Regulatory Authority has temporarily shut six filling stations, including Engen in Tlokweng and Shell outlets in Sikwane and Lobatse, for breaching safety and environmental standards since May 2026. Deficiencies cited include non-functional oil-water separators, inadequate fire protection systems, and absence of leak monitoring wells.
Scores of hikers navigated Lobatse's 10km hiking trail, visiting historic landmarks including the Fish Keitseng monument, Botswana's first military base, and Mandela's hideout, while also planting fruit trees under the Tree365 environmental initiative.
Botswana's Energy Regulatory Authority has temporarily closed six filling stations, including Engen in Tlokweng and Shell outlets in Sikwane and Lobatse, for failing to meet regulatory and safety requirements such as environmental protection, functional oil-water separators, fire protection systems, and leak monitoring wells.
The Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority temporarily shut down five filling stations—Engen in Tlokweng, TotalEnergies in Metlojane, Cooperative Society in Goodhope, and Shell locations in Sikwane and Lobatse—after inspections since May 2026 revealed breaches including missing or broken oil water separators, inadequate fire protection, lack of trained staff, and environmental protection failures. The regulator said operators had been previously warned of non-compliance.
Regions submitted lists of required sports equipment to the Ministry of Sport and Arts in early 2025, but have not yet received feedback on their requests. The North East Regional Director of Operations cited the high volume of nationwide requests as a strain on government finances and noted uncertainty about whether school sports will follow the previous calendar.
Lobatse MP Kamal Jacobs says government priority projects for economic resuscitation and employment creation are progressing on schedule, citing the Milk Valley Farm expansion programme (expecting 200 cows from Brazil by June 2026), BMC and tannery upgrades, and meat value-addition facilities as examples advancing domestic production and reducing import reliance.
Farouk Ismail Group (Pty) Ltd donated P70,000 worth of medication for managing high blood pressure, hypertension, cholesterol and diabetes to Athlone Hospital in Lobatse. The donation, part of the company's community support initiatives, was received gratefully by hospital staff during a handover ceremony on Tuesday.
Botswana's beef industry is seeking answers as the closure of the Botswana Meat Commission's Lobatse abattoir stretches into months following an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease, deepening concerns over farmer incomes, export earnings, and economic activity in the country's livestock heartland.
Botswana national team coach Morena Ramoreboli says investing in emerging talent from an early age is critical for driving development and sustainability in football, and emphasises that strong national teams are built through proper development structures and early childhood development to provide a steady stream of talented players.
Botswana Motor Sport will officially launch the Karting Africa Academy Botswana Grassroots Development Programme on Saturday at The Freak Show Karting Track in Lobatse, making Botswana the first African nation to roll out the continental FIA initiative. According to BMS vice president Tefo Dithapo, karting is internationally recognised by the FIA as the foundation of motorsport and a starting point for identifying and developing future racing talent.
Botswana's beef export industry faces a P200 million loss following an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease detected in April 2026 at the Ramatlabama Artificial Insemination and Training Centre, with 159 confirmed cases spreading to the Good Hope district and cattle handling facilities near Lobatse, threatening the country's prized FMD-free status.
Kesegofetse Kelebogile, a 40-year-old potter and ceramicist based in Serowe, has established himself as an artisan after learning pottery techniques at Camphill Community Trust in Otse from 2004 to 2006 and later receiving a P100,000 grant from the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture in 2011 to start his own business.
Botswana has reached 95 per cent of people living with HIV knowing their status, 98 per cent of those diagnosed on ART, and 98 per cent achieving viral suppression, according to the National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency. The country reported a national HIV prevalence of 20.8 per cent with approximately 329,000 adults living with HIV and 2,200 new cases annually.
The Ngwaketse landboard chairperson has called for new land-use policies to address the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in the Southern region, proposing stricter biosecurity measures including protection of veterinary buffer zones and reducing land allocation turnaround times to 48 hours.
Lovemore Sithole, 41, accused in the 2022 disappearance and murder of 7-year-old Tlotso Karema in Lobatse, has recanted his earlier confession, telling the court he was beaten and suffocated into admitting to the crime and denying responsibility for the child's death. He testified in a trial-within-a-trial hearing that he was not arrested in Lobatse but at Sejelo Police Station in Kanye, where he claims he was invited by police.
Zimbabwe immigrant Lovemore Sithole's attorney told Gaborone High Court that his client was coerced by police into confessing to the 2022 murder of seven-year-old Tlotso Karema, alleging Sithole was forced to undress, dressed in refuse bags, and suffocated at Sejelo Police Station before making a confession statement.
Sithole, accused of killing Tlotso Karema in 2022 at Lobatse, disputes his confession statement before court, with his defence attorney arguing the admission was extracted through police torture. An investigating officer testified Sithole admitted to the killing and described using a needle and bathing with the victim's blood before dumping the body near Kanye.
FMD surveillance in Zone 11 around Lobatse is being delayed by farmers' unkraaled livestock, particularly at Peleng Dam where cattle from neighbouring villages gather. The Department of Veterinary Services has so far examined 15,000 cattle and vaccinated 7,761 livestock in the Lobatse office area, but is urging farmers to construct temporary cattle crushes to facilitate disease control measures.
A personal essay reflecting on the death of former President Festus Mogae through childhood memories in Lobatse, recounting games, local sports, and cultural events from the author's youth.
An obituary for former president Dr Festus Mogae, who passed away last Friday, recalls his approach to governance as a legalist who resisted international pressure, public sympathy, and political pressure in making tough decisions backed by law. The article highlights his refusal to grant clemency to South African Marietta Bosch, who was convicted of murder and executed at Gaborone Maximum Prison on March 31, 2001, despite international outcry.
An outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Zone 11 has temporarily halted the arrival of 1,000 heifers from Brazil for Milk Valley Farm's Phase I expansion in Lobatse; cattle movement restrictions were imposed to mitigate FMD risk, though the heifers had already been purchased and quarantined in Brazil.
Botswana has launched a commercial court, initially operating in Gaborone and Lobatse divisions of the High Court, to address delays in resolving commercial cases, some of which have taken decades. Chief Justice Gaolapelwe Ketlogetswe framed it as part of the Administration of Justice broader reform agenda to improve efficiency and strengthen public confidence in the judicial system.
Two men—a South African national and a Motswana—appeared before Lobatse Magistrates Court on April 28 accused of selling three fake diamond stones at Cumberland Hotel on February 12. They are charged under the Precious and Semi-Precious Stones Act for offering the stones for sale while claiming they were diamonds, despite not being authorized to sell precious stones.
The Botswana Meat Commission has accelerated efforts to open new export markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council region, Greater Africa, and Asia while the EU maintains a beef suspension due to Foot and Mouth Disease. The acting CEO said the diversification strategy is designed to secure the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of Botswana's beef industry.
A consultative meeting held in Tlokweng on April 9 brought together legal experts, traditional leaders, political representatives and members of the public to discuss the proposed establishment of a Constitutional Court. Participants acknowledged its potential to strengthen democracy and human rights, though some raised concerns about timing, judicial appointments, and alignment with a comprehensive constitutional review.