Botswana Minute.
Tuesday, 28 July 2026
Botswana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Tuesday, 28 July 2026
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Botswanan press · Organization

Sunday Standard

Botswanan weekly newspaper publishing investigative coverage of government, business, mining, and public policy.

2026-04-232026-07-28

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. July 2026
  2. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard Botswana power imports plunge as local generation hits record Botswana sharply reduced its dependence on imported electricity in the first quarter of 2026 after local power generation surged to its highest level on record, marking a significant milestone in the co

    Botswana power imports plunge as local generation hits record
  3. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard G4S cuts losses, but turnaround remains unfinished G4S Botswana’s latest financial results suggest the security firm has moved beyond crisis management and into the early stages of recovery.

    G4S cuts losses, but turnaround remains unfinished
  4. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard Rectification or Reform? The SI 41 of 2026 Precedent On 27 March 2026, the Law Revision Commissioner published Statutory Instrument No.

    Rectification or Reform? The SI 41 of 2026 Precedent
  5. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard BHC report raises red flags over Boko’s flagship Bonno Project A Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) document has raised red flags over the financial sustainability and commercial viability of the Bonno Housing Programme’s flagship Kgale housing project.

    BHC report raises red flags over Boko’s flagship Bonno Project
  6. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard Government missing out on P16bn mining revenue The government has confirmed that it does not hold equity stakes in several mining operations that generated approximately P16 billion in revenue in 2025.

    Government missing out on P16bn mining revenue
  7. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard A Date with Destiny Beckons for Botswana’s Billie Jean King Cup Team This year, 2026, marks thirty years since Botswana played her first match in the Billie Jean Jin King Cup (BJKC) team.

    A Date with Destiny Beckons for Botswana’s Billie Jean King Cup Team
  8. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard Electoral transparency, credibility, and the dark shadow of the EVM in Botswana I read with great interest a story in Mmegi on June 13th, 2026, entitled “IEC Pushes for Digital Election Reforms.” Although tucked away on page 13, it deserves urgent national attenti

    Electoral transparency, credibility, and the dark shadow of the EVM in Botswana
  9. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard Inside Botswana’s trillion-Pula illusion For the past two years, Botswana has been promised close to P1 trillion in investments, but so far many of the names attached to the extravagant promises are raising more questions than confidence.

    Inside Botswana’s trillion-Pula illusion
  10. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard Botswana slides further in global competitiveness as African peers pull ahead Botswana’s economy is losing its competitive edge, slipping further behind its African peers as weak growth, stubborn unemployment and heavy dependence on diamonds continue to undermine

    Botswana slides further in global competitiveness as African peers pull ahead
  11. June 2026
  12. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard Central Bank swells cash holdings in strategic reserve shift The Bank of Botswana substantially increased its cash holdings in 2025, prioritising liquidity management as realised investment gains and foreign-exchange trading profits helped cushion a modest decline

    Central Bank swells cash holdings in strategic reserve shift

Yesterday

  1. Botswana plans largest debt auction since January

    Botswana plans to raise P5.1 billion from the domestic market on July 31, its largest debt auction since January, reflecting the government's increasing reliance on local borrowing to finance a widening budget deficit and refinance maturing obligations.

    27 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. NexMetals extends copper-nickel zone at Selebi Main project

    NexMetals Mining has extended a high-grade copper-nickel zone at its Selebi Main project, boosting confidence that the former BCL mine could support a larger resource as the Canadian company advances plans to restart the operation.

    27 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  3. BCP completes internal elections, now faces national expansion challenge

    The Botswana Congress Party has passed the hurdle of holding internal elections, described as a rite of passage for the party. The article indicates early signs are positive, though it is too early to assess whether things will ultimately work out well for the BCP.

    27 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  4. Botswana must modernize institutions after sixty years

    The Sunday Standard argues that Botswana's post-independence institutions have served their purpose and need to be rewired to prepare the country for the future, yet little progress is visible on rebuilding or reforming existing structures.

    27 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  5. Sunday Standard investigation finds questionable salary practices at CITF

    Sunday Standard investigations have found questionable salary adjustments and allowances at Construction Industry Trust Fund (CITF), including a 26% allowance increase awarded exclusively to CITF Executive Management in 2025 that was approved by a Board of Trustees whose tenure expired in March 2026.

    27 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Tuesday 21 July

  1. Ministry awards P654 million STEAM contract same day as adjudication

    The Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education awarded a P654.4 million contract for an integrated STEAM e-learning, coding and robotics programme to Emeritus Training Academy Botswana through direct procurement, receiving the financial evaluation, adjudicating it, and approving the award all on 25 June 2026.

    21 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. Medical professionals, citizens petition against healthcare VAT

    Government's reintroduction of Value Added Tax on private healthcare services has faced backlash from medical professionals and citizens who warn the policy could worsen Botswana's healthcare crisis by making treatment unaffordable and straining an already burdened public healthcare system.

    21 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Tuesday 14 July

  1. C-130 aircraft acquisition costs over US$26 million

    A whistleblower report alleges that Botswana's 2024 acquisition of a C-130 military cargo aircraft from the United States, described as a donation, required approximately US$20 million in payments plus an additional US$6 million anticipated for maintenance by 2026, totaling over US$26 million by 2027. The report characterizes the transaction as functioning economically as a sale or lease rather than a true donation.

    14 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Tuesday 7 July

  1. Botswana economy returns to growth after two-year contraction

    Botswana's economy returned to growth in the first quarter of 2026, ending two years of contraction as diamond-related activity and electricity production rebounded. However, the recovery remains uneven, with weak household spending, lower investment, and a sharp fall in exports highlighting the fragility of the upturn.

    7 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. De Beers sale completion expected within weeks

    De Beers' chief executive has indicated that the long-running uncertainty surrounding the diamond company's future ownership could soon end, with a sale potentially completed within weeks.

    7 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  3. Botswana power imports fall as local generation reaches record

    Botswana reduced its dependence on imported electricity in the first quarter of 2026 after local power generation surged to its highest level on record, marking a milestone in the country's pursuit of energy security.

    7 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  4. G4S Botswana narrows losses but profitability remains elusive

    G4S Botswana's latest financial results show the security firm has moved beyond crisis management into early recovery, with a sharply narrower loss and stronger operating margins, though the business is still searching for a sustainable return to profitability.

    7 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  5. Statutory instrument deletes Penal Code provisions criminalizing homosexuality

    On 27 March 2026, the Law Revision Commissioner published Statutory Instrument No. 41 of 2026, deleting paragraphs (a) and (c) of section 164 of the Penal Code that criminalized carnal knowledge against the order of nature and permitting such an act. The article raises questions about the constitutional method and authority behind the removal.

    7 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Monday 6 July

  1. BHC report questions sustainability of Boko's Kgale housing project

    A Botswana Housing Corporation Investment Committee document has raised concerns about the financial sustainability and commercial viability of the Bonno Housing Programme's Kgale housing project, a flagship element of President Duma Boko's promise to deliver 100,000 houses.

    6 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. Government holds no equity stakes in five major mining operations

    The government has confirmed it does not hold equity stakes in Mowana Mine, Karowe Mine, Khoemacau's Zone 5 Mine, Minergy's Medie Mine, and Motheo Mine, which collectively generated approximately P16 billion in revenue in 2025, despite having the legislative option to acquire ownership interests when licenses are granted.

    6 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  3. Botswana hosts Billie Jean King Cup tournament for first time

    Botswana will host the Billie Jean King Cup tournament for the first time in the team's 30-year history, with eleven nations competing on 13 July at the National Tennis Center in Gaborone. The local women's team will pursue promotion to Euro/Africa Group II after a 23-year absence, buoyed by home support following a third-place finish in last year's qualifying tournament in Namibia.

    6 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  4. IEC rolling out digital election reforms for 2029 elections

    The Independent Electoral Commission is implementing technology-driven reforms including a new Elections Management System to modernize voter registration, manage data more efficiently, and eliminate administrative errors ahead of the 2029 General Elections.

    6 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  5. Botswana's promised trillion-Pula investments show delivery gap

    Over the past two years, Botswana has been promised close to P1 trillion in investments, but a Sunday Standard investigation into more than P800 billion in promised capital and signed memoranda of understanding reveals a widening gap between headline commitments and verifiable economic delivery.

    6 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  6. Botswana ranks 66th of 70 in global competitiveness index

    Botswana's economy is losing competitive edge, slipping to 66th place out of 70 economies in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2026, its lowest position in five years, as weak growth, unemployment, and diamond dependence undermine investor appeal.

    6 July 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Monday 29 June

  1. Bank of Botswana increases cash holdings in 2025

    The Bank of Botswana substantially increased its cash holdings in 2025, prioritising liquidity management as investment gains and foreign-exchange trading profits helped offset a modest decline in annual earnings.

    29 June 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. Digital payments expand amid slower consumer spending

    Botswana's digital payments infrastructure is expanding, but transaction data from early 2026 shows a sharp slowdown in consumer spending and high-value financial activity, reflecting the country's broader economic downturn.

    29 June 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  3. Sport must be embraced as economic sector, minister says

    At the inaugural Business of Sport Summit, Minister of Sport and Arts Jacob Kelebeng said Botswana should view sport as a strategic economic sector capable of creating jobs, attracting investment and driving national development, rather than only as recreation or competition.

    29 June 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Monday 22 June

  1. Bank of Botswana keeps benchmark rate at 5.5 percent

    The Bank of Botswana has held its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 5.5 percent, indicating that the fight against inflation continues as the economy contends with effects of the diamond market downturn.

    22 June 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. Sovereign risk emerges as Botswana's primary financial stability threat

    Botswana's financial watchdogs have identified sovereign risk as the biggest threat to the country's financial stability, citing rising government borrowing, shrinking fiscal buffers, and growing dependence on domestic financing as sources of vulnerability.

    22 June 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  3. Botswana food and beverage imports decline to P1.04 billion

    Botswana imported food and beverages worth P1.04 billion in February 2026, down 17.7 percent from P1.26 billion in January, according to Statistics Botswana figures.

    22 June 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  4. Botswana's elderly learn to identify and avoid online scams

    As cybercriminals increasingly target vulnerable members of society, Botswana's senior citizens are learning how to fight back. Mascom Wireless recently conducted a cybersecurity workshop for elderly residents of Pitsane Village to equip them with knowledge to identify and avoid online scams.

    22 June 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Monday 15 June

  1. Botswana positioned to harness solar energy potential

    Botswana possesses some of the world's highest solar irradiation levels and potential to become a renewable energy powerhouse, but has remained dependent on coal-fired generation and imported electricity.

    15 June 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. South Africa's BRICS trade deficits with China and India widen

    The article argues that trade is more important than ideology, noting that South Africa's trade deficits with fellow BRICS members China and India continue to widen, contrary to expectations that BRICS membership would generate economic benefits through FDI expansion, job growth, and foreign exchange earnings.

    15 June 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Wednesday 10 June

  1. Botswana's Government Investment Account rebounds in March

    Botswana's fiscal savings account has staged a remarkable recovery after months of decline, with fresh Bank of Botswana figures showing a sharp rebound in the Government Investment Account (GIA) during March.

    10 June 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. Botswana's inflation falls below target, but food prices remain high

    Botswana's consumer price growth fell below the central bank's target range for a second consecutive year in 2025, but persistent increases in food prices continued to erode household purchasing power, particularly among lower-income families.

    10 June 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Sunday Standard — Botswanan press coverage · Botswana Minute