… His parents never mentioned the disease during their years. “We had never heard of it nor seen it,” he told Mmegi on Tuesday. “Lately, we’ve been hearing about it from other countries, and we were told it was in South Africa. …
… officials lament that they continue to confiscate meat and meat products, especially from truck drivers.Speaking to Mmegi, Superintendent Pearl Nkele of Phitshane Molopo police, lamented that people from the policing area, which consists mostly of villages along the South Africa …
… He said regional stability was being reinforced through high-level Bi-National Commissions with Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa, and continued engagement with other neighbours to harmonise trade frameworks, remove non-tariff barriers and streamline cross-border logisti …
… According to one of the organisers Tiro Kganela, the hike is expected to attract over 300 hikers from Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe. …
… The beef sector is a vital pillar of the national economy, directly employing tens of thousands and generating significant foreign exchange through exports primarily to the EU, South Africa, and other international markets. …
… Paul Iwuanyanwu, a leading thinker in STEM education from South Africa’s North-West University, argues that the answer lies in transforming STEM education itself. …
South Africa and Botswana are poised to sign a landmark agreement to safeguard water quality and combat aquatic invasive species in the Upper Limpopo River Basin. …
… In an interview, North East District Council Acting Chief Environmental Health Officer, Ms Kedibonye Mawana said since the start of screening, they had received five Zimbabwean national truck drivers, who were from DRC enroute South Africa. …
TransUnion's 2025 research found suspected digital fraud in Botswana at 0.9% of transaction attempts, the lowest across African nations and below the global average of 3.8%. Account creation showed the highest fraud incidence at 2.6%, followed by login attempts at 0.8% and financial transactions at 0.5%.
Why it matters
Botswana's 0.9% digital fraud rate—lowest in Africa—demonstrates a competitive economic advantage and strong cybersecurity standing.
TransUnion's 2025 research found suspected digital fraud in Botswana at 0.9% of transaction attempts, the lowest across African nations and below the global average of 3.8%. Account creation showed the highest fraud incidence at 2.6%, followed by login attempts at 0.8% and financial transactions at 0.5%.
Self-exiled Bakgatla Paramount Chief Kgosi Kgafela II has requested appointment as Botswana's envoy to South Africa while seeking recognition as a king under Botswana law, with immunities similar to those of presidents and monarchs.
Botswana Vaccine Institute's struggle to meet regional demand for foot-and-mouth disease vaccines is causing South Africa to turn to alternative suppliers after years of relying on the state-owned producer.
South African official Steenhuisen has confronted Botswana over agricultural import restrictions at high-level bilateral talks, with tensions between the two countries over the vegetable ban persisting despite diplomatic commitments to deepen economic cooperation.
Police have broken up a cross-border stock theft syndicate operating in Zone 11, the country's second largest disease control area and most economically critical for cattle ranching. Zone 11 has faced the country's strictest FMD restrictions since the virus emerged in South Africa two months ago.
Ghanzi farmers say government must deliver on promised liberalisation of the beef industry from Botswana Meat Commission monopoly to help them weather the current Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak and access regional markets. The policy was repealed by Parliament in 2019 but remains unimplemented.
Effective June 1, travellers driving Botswana-registered vehicles into South Africa must declare their vehicles at border posts under a new temporary importation declaration requirement implemented by the South Africa Revenue Service (SARS). The permit is valid for six months and may be used for multiple crossings; non-compliance may result in delays, administrative penalties, and enforcement action.
Production interruptions at the Botswana Vaccine Institute may have cost Botswana millions of pula in export earnings after South Africa sourced Foot and Mouth Disease vaccines from Argentina instead.
SADC Deputy Executive Secretary Angèle Makombo N'Tumba called for urgent regional action to strengthen food security and agricultural systems amid global supply chain disruptions, climate change, and livestock diseases. She warned that Middle East conflicts have restricted agricultural input and petroleum product movements, while extreme weather threatens food and energy security across the region.
The Botswana senior men's cricket team won their first four matches at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Regional qualifying tournament, but back-to-back losses to Kenya (by 62 runs) and Rwanda (by two runs) prevented them from reaching the regional final.
Multichoice Botswana hosted piracy awareness training for the Department of Broadcasting Services, with a company manager noting that piracy is an economic concern affecting government revenue, businesses, and consumers. Cross-border decoder piracy, where decoders purchased in South Africa are used in neighbouring countries like Botswana, is identified as predominant in the country.
South African musician Makhadzi will stage another one-woman show in Botswana, organised by promoter Gilbert 'PP wa Pimp' Seagile. Following strong demand from audiences and the success of her 2022 performance in the country, organisers have decided to bring the show back despite it never being intended as an annual event.
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) was detected on April 2 at the Ramatlabama National Artificial Insemination Laboratory, marking the first confirmed case in the border village of Mokatako in living memory. The detection has brought hardship to communal cattle farmers in southern districts who had expected to benefit from recent summer rains.
Police in Phitshane Molopo say communities continue to cross the Botswana-South Africa border at ungazetted areas and carry meat, disregarding protocols meant to contain foot-and-mouth disease. Veterinary officials report ongoing confiscations of meat and meat products, particularly from truck drivers.
The Minister for State President, Defence and Security said national security and structural stability underpin sustainable economic activity and attract long-term investment. He cited the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme's focus on secure trade lanes, protected infrastructure, and regional stability through bilateral commissions with neighbouring countries.
The Bikwe International Hike, scheduled for Saturday, will begin at Nkwe gorge in Mogonye and cover 20 kilometres toward Manyelanong West, with over 300 hikers expected from Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The organisers describe the cross-border event as promoting regional unity, wellness, and eco-tourism potential in the greater Gaborone area.
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.
Dr. Paul Iwuanyanwu argues that STEM education should emphasize critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and argumentation about societal issues, rather than focusing solely on technical content and procedural accuracy, as modern STEM professionals must defend interpretations and navigate complex trade-offs affecting communities.
South Africa and Botswana are set to sign a Memorandum of Agreement to safeguard water quality and combat invasive aquatic species in the Upper Limpopo River Basin, enhancing ecosystem monitoring and biodiversity protection across the transboundary water resource shared with Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Botswana has begun intensified screening for Ebola at all entry points following outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The North East District Council has established isolation facilities at Ramokgwena border post and says Masunga Hospital is prepared to admit patients, though no cases have been recorded yet.
BPC CEO David Kgoboko told Parliament that the utility faces mounting financial pressure as it sells electricity at subsidised prices that do not recover generation, transmission and distribution costs. He warned that continuing to import power at commercial rates while maintaining low domestic tariffs risks either deeper losses or more load rationing.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa publicly raised concerns over Botswana's import restrictions that disrupt cross-border agricultural trade, saying that while Botswana's food security ambitions are understandable, trade irritants cannot be ignored.
CANAL+ Group executives met with Premier Soccer League Chairman Dr Irvin Khoza to strengthen relations and local content offering. The PSL's partnership with MultiChoice Group, a CANAL+ company, dates back to 2007 and includes broadcast improvements and adjacent content.
At the 6th Botswana/South Africa Bi-National Commission, South African Minister Lamola said South African companies have significant investments in Botswana and called for increased bilateral trade and investment to enhance industrialisation, expand economies, strengthen regional value chains, and create employment. South Africa's development finance institutions also pursue partnerships with Botswana on infrastructure projects including transport corridors and water resource management.
President Advocate Duma Boko has called on the private sector to help safeguard the country's economy by driving job creation and diversifying industries away from over-reliance on mining, while urging businesses to treat the recent sovereign credit downgrade as a shared responsibility. In March 2026, S&P Global Ratings downgraded Botswana's long-term foreign and local currency ratings from BBB to BBB- and lowered short-term ratings, with a negative outlook maintained.
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa completed a two-day state visit to Botswana, during which he co-chaired the Sixth Botswana-South Africa Bi-National Commission with President Advocate Duma Boko. The visit resulted in four new bilateral agreements covering energy, water quality management, correctional services, and other priority sectors.
The Botswana Softball Masters Association will host an international masters softball tournament in Jwaneng from May 14 to 16, bringing together teams from Botswana, South Africa, and Lesotho. The event is expected to stimulate the local economy and further establish Botswana as a regional sporting hub.
The 6th Session of the Bi-National Commission between Botswana and South Africa began in Gaborone, led by Presidents Duma Boko and Cyril Ramaphosa, to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation in trade, investment, health, security and infrastructure development.
A Botswana minister said stronger regional cooperation is needed to combat an escalating Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in Southern Africa that has disrupted livestock trade and threatened livelihoods, highlighting the failure of isolated national responses to the transboundary disease.
F&G Botswana has launched Ethyl Maltol flavour enhancer in Francistown in collaboration with BITC and plans to expand into the SADC market, targeting countries including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Angola and South Africa. The product is intended for use in foods such as bread, cakes, biscuits, and beverages, with the company citing Botswana's strategic position in the region as advantageous for market access.