Botswana Minute.
Friday, 11 September 2026
Botswana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Friday, 11 September 2026
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Botswanan press · Organization

Sunday Standard

Botswanan Sunday newspaper publishing coverage of national economic, political, and social affairs since at least July 2026.

2026-04-232026-09-11

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. August 2026
  2. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard Botswana’s foreign service is now hollowed by years of overuse of political appointments Over the recent past too many wrong people have gotten appointed as High Commissioners and Ambassadors.

    Botswana’s foreign service is now hollowed by years of overuse of political appointments
  3. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard Koki Chiepe’s Living Archive of Botswana At a time when fashion houses across the world are searching for new stories to tell, Botswana luxury designer Koki Chiepe is looking inward.

    Koki Chiepe’s Living Archive of Botswana
  4. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard Sefalana earnings slide sharply Sefalana Holding Company reported its sharpest profit decline in almost a decade after rising operating costs, weak consumer demand and disruptions to government supply contracts outweighed record sales, underscoring the pressures f

    Sefalana earnings slide sharply
  5. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard De Beers is down, but not out Remember Blockbuster, the video rental chain that once boasted more than 9,000 outlets globally?

    De Beers is down, but not out
  6. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard WHO raises red flag over Botswana’s blood transfusion system Botswana’s blood transfusion services are facing significant operational and structural challenges that require urgent reforms.

    WHO raises red flag over Botswana’s blood transfusion system
  7. July 2026
  8. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard Botswana plans biggest debt auction since January Botswana plans to raise P5.1 billion from the domestic market on July 31, its largest debt auction since January, underscoring government’s growing reliance on local borrowing to finance a widening budget deficit a

    Botswana plans biggest debt auction since January
  9. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard NexMetals extends high-grade copper discovery at Selebi restart 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 a

    NexMetals extends high-grade copper discovery at Selebi restart project
  10. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard The BCP has only just crossed their first big hurdle: Now they have to work at becoming national It is too early yet to make a pronouncement on whether or not things will turn up well for the Botswana Congress Party.

    The BCP has only just crossed their first big hurdle: Now they have to work at becoming national
  11. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard A time to rewire the business environment We need to appreciate that growth and prosperity do not occur by chance.

    A time to rewire the business environment
  12. Botswana Sunday Standard

    Sunday Standard Sleaze, shady dealings rock CITF Sunday Standard investigations have turned up an executive gravy train with questionable salary adjustments and allowances at Construction Industry Trust Fund (CITF).

    Sleaze, shady dealings rock CITF

Monday 7 September

  1. Botswana firms rush to file constitutions before deadline

    Companies across Botswana are scrambling to adopt and file constitutions before 30 September 2026, a requirement introduced through amendments to the Companies Act, with non-compliance risking removal from the company register.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. Botswana should develop workforce as next strategic resource

    Botswana's success has been built on disciplined management of natural resources; the country now has an opportunity to become recognised for developing a capable, adaptable and innovative workforce, with the next chapter defined by people development rather than resource discovery.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  3. Bermuda tightens visa requirements for Botswana passport holders

    Bermuda has placed Botswana among nationalities subject to stricter visa requirements, adding to international border control tightening and concerns over the Botswana passport's standing abroad at a time when the government prepares to introduce a new citizenship scheme.

    7 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Monday 24 August

  1. Botswana's fertility rate falls below replacement level

    According to Statistics Botswana's 2024 Vital Statistics Report, Botswana's total fertility rate has fallen to 1.96 children per woman, below the replacement-level benchmark of 2.1, marking a potential demographic shift from previous decades of concern about job creation for youth.

    24 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Monday 17 August

  1. Botswana's growing workforce poses jobs creation challenge ahead

    Botswana's working-age population (aged 15–64) is projected to rise to 67.6 percent of the total population by 2038 from 63.3 percent in 2023, creating a demographic dividend that will depend on the country's ability to generate jobs and raise productivity.

    17 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. Botswana faces skills drain as young workers seek opportunities abroad

    Botswana's labour market faces a growing skills challenge as young adults continue to leave the country for education, employment and professional opportunities. Statistics Botswana's Population Projections 2022–2038 show annual net migration is projected to fall from 2,449 people in 2023 to 1,204 by 2038.

    17 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Sunday 16 August

  1. Botswana ranks 11th globally in greenfield foreign direct investment

    Botswana has emerged as one of Africa's strongest performers in attracting greenfield foreign direct investment, ranking 11th globally in the fDi Intelligence Greenfield FDI Performance Index 2026. Greenfield investment—when a foreign company establishes a new operation such as a factory, mine, office, data centre or renewable-energy facility—can bring new productive capacity, technology and supply-chain opportunities into an economy.

    16 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Thursday 13 August

  1. Orapa Duiker Tournament welcomes bowlers from Southern Africa

    The annual Orapa Duiker Tournament, one of Botswana's premier lawn bowls competitions, is underway this week with 24 teams registered. Players from Botswana and neighboring countries including Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe are competing on some of the country's finest greens.

    13 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Wednesday 12 August

  1. Air Botswana years behind on publishing audited financial statements

    Air Botswana's financial troubles extend beyond grounded aircraft and cancelled flights; the state-owned airline is years behind in publishing audited financial statements, raising transparency questions as it has spent hundreds of millions of pula on fleet renewal while posting operating losses.

    12 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. New Employment Act criticized as ideologically driven, economically flawed

    An opinion piece in the Sunday Standard argues that the new Employment Act (Labour Relations Act), while protecting employee rights, ignores the price mechanism of labour and prioritizes ideology over economics, thereby failing to promote investment and job creation.

    12 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Monday 10 August

  1. Political patronage weakening Botswana's foreign service, editorial states

    An editorial in the Sunday Standard argues that Botswana's foreign service has been hollowed by years of political party appointments to High Commissioner and Ambassador positions, where party membership has mattered more than diplomatic qualifications and experience.

    10 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. Koki Chiepe exhibits heritage reimagined through contemporary design

    Botswana luxury designer Koki Chiepe's exhibition Heritage Reimagined: Living Archives transformed the National Museum in Gaborone into a space where landscapes, ceremonies and indigenous knowledge were translated into contemporary design.

    10 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Monday 3 August

  1. Sefalana profit declines sharply on weak demand, rising costs

    Sefalana Holding Company reported its sharpest profit decline in almost a decade after rising operating costs, weak consumer demand, and disruptions to government supply contracts outweighed record sales.

    3 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  2. De Beers' global diamond market share falls from ninety to thirty percent

    De Beers once sold nine out of ten diamonds globally, but today sells about three out of ten, a decline analogous to industry giants like Blockbuster and Kodak that failed to adapt to technological change.

    3 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

  3. WHO flags critical gaps in Botswana's blood transfusion system

    The World Health Organization's Botswana Country Office Biennial Report 2024–2025 identifies significant operational and structural challenges in the country's blood transfusion services, including fragmented coordination, outdated equipment, supply shortages, weak data systems, and quality assurance gaps.

    3 August 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard

Monday 27 July

  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

Sunday Standard — Botswanan press coverage · Botswana Minute