Botswana Minute.
Saturday, 13 June 2026
Botswana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Saturday, 13 June 2026
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Society

Doctors' union says medicine shortage crisis remains unresolved

The News

The Botswana Doctors' Union welcomed government efforts to address medicine shortages but stated the problem persists, noting that healthcare workers have long raised concerns about procurement challenges, supply chain inefficiencies, and stock management failures. The union said recent developments have vindicated frontline staff who argued the shortages stemmed from systemic failures rather than individual medical staff actions.

Why it matters

Medicine shortages remain a critical healthcare crisis affecting all Batswana, with the doctors' union confirming systemic procurement and supply-chain failures persist.

21 hours ago · Mmegi

Yesterday

  1. Doctors' union says medicine shortage crisis remains unresolved

    The Botswana Doctors' Union welcomed government efforts to address medicine shortages but stated the problem persists, noting that healthcare workers have long raised concerns about procurement challenges, supply chain inefficiencies, and stock management failures. The union said recent developments have vindicated frontline staff who argued the shortages stemmed from systemic failures rather than individual medical staff actions.

    21 hours ago · Mmegi

Thursday 11 June

  1. Maele praises Limkokwing as Botswana's TVET model

    Education Minister Maele has hailed Limkokwing as a "global TVET model" during a campus visit and tour of practical skills exhibitions. He emphasised that government investment in private institutions requires direct oversight to ensure effective use of funds and quality practical training delivery.

    11 June 2026 · Mmegi

Wednesday 10 June

  1. Ministry confirms isolated Ebola screening refusals at border

    The Ministry of Health has encountered instances of travellers refusing Ebola screening at Tlokweng Border Post, but says the cases remain isolated and the situation is under control with awareness efforts ongoing.

    10 June 2026 · The Botswana Gazette

  2. Government unable to trace fake Facebook accounts

    The government has admitted it cannot unmask fake Facebook accounts harassing citizens, though experts argue that digital footprints can be traced by investigators with appropriate tools.

    10 June 2026 · The Botswana Gazette

  3. Government securing months of medicines via emergency procurement

    Health Minister Stephen Modise announced that government is addressing medicine shortages through emergency procurement measures, including six to 12 months' worth of supplies from the IDA Foundation and seven months' worth from the United Arab Emirates, with additional consignments arriving in coming weeks.

    10 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana

Tuesday 9 June

  1. Farouk Ismail Group donates P70,000 medication to Athlone Hospital

    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.

    9 June 2026 · Mmegi

  2. University of Botswana symposium gathers alumni for national development

    The University of Botswana Alumni Symposium 2026, themed "Architects of Transformation: Mobilizing Alumni Excellence for UB," brought together graduates, researchers, and corporate partners to strengthen institutional synergy and support national development agendas. Vice Chancellor Professor David Norris highlighted the university's four-decade role in national development and its 2020–2029 strategic plan focused on sustainable knowledge generation and modernized curriculum.

    9 June 2026 · Weekend Post

  3. Tlokweng council halts plot allocations due to shortage

    The Tlokweng council is unable to allocate plots to applicants because no serviced residential plots are currently available for distribution. The Land Board is exploring a redesign of a 10-hectare plot at Metlhabeng to increase the number of residential plots available for future allocation.

    9 June 2026 · Mmegi

  4. Moremong denies knowledge of Sefalana robbery plot

    In a Sefalana robbery trial, Moremong testified that he had no knowledge of the November 25, 2022 attack and was merely assisting a friend, Leatile Modise, denying he acted in common purpose.

    9 June 2026 · Mmegi

  5. Elderly man dies in Mogoditshane vehicle accident

    An elderly man died in Mogoditshane after being dragged by his Toyota Hilux, which moved unexpectedly while he was attempting to start it with one leg on the gear and the other outside the vehicle. The vehicle crashed into a tree.

    9 June 2026 · Mmegi

  6. Armed gang robs Mogoditshane company premises

    Seven armed men cut through an electric fence and entered a company in Mogoditshane at around 3 am, assaulted a security officer and Human Resources Manager, and made off with P2,000 in cash, two laptops, and three cellular phones.

    9 June 2026 · Mmegi

  7. Missing Robelela woman found dead on roadside

    A woman from a cattle post on the outskirts of Robelela, reported missing Wednesday after leaving for a clinic appointment, was found dead Friday morning by a passerby lying in a pool of blood along a roadside.

    9 June 2026 · Mmegi

  8. Over 7,500 gender-based violence cases recorded in first quarter 2026

    Botswana recorded more than 7,500 gender-based violence cases in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs. Of the 7,517 cases logged from January to March, 2,228 were classified as gender-based violence incidents, with 520 rape cases and 487 defilement cases reported.

    9 June 2026 · Weekend Post

  9. Former Police Commissioner Simon Hirschfeld laid to rest

    Simon Hirschfeld, Botswana's first Motswana Police Commissioner who served 39 years in law enforcement and spent 24 years leading the Botswana Police Service, was buried at Phomolong Memorial Park in Gaborone with a traditional police funeral ceremony.

    9 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  10. Scullery worker promoted to housekeeping supervisor role

    Ms Janet Monnaatsie of Mababe village has advanced from a temporary scullery worker at Savuti Camp to a housekeeping supervisor after 20 years with Wilderness Safari Company, crediting her success to hard work, positive mindset, and willingness to embrace new responsibilities.

    9 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  11. Harvard Health Partnership praised for HIV and COVID research

    President Duma Boko congratulated the Botswana Harvard Health Partnership for their significant role in breakthrough HIV prevention research and the discovery of the Omicron COVID variant in 2021. The partnership's executive director noted their contributions to Botswana's public health milestones and their participation in landmark studies that shaped local and international HIV treatment and prevention guidelines.

    9 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  12. SARS warns travellers of vehicle registration scammers

    SARS has introduced a new online declaration and pre-registration requirement for all foreign vehicles through the Travel Management System before border entry, and warns motorists against fraudsters posing as registration agents and demanding fees, as the service is free.

    9 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  13. Kgosi Malope names new Bangwaketse regiment Maisantwa III

    Kgosi Malope II has named a new regiment Maisantwa III among the Bangwaketse, with initiates receiving education on life skills, gender-based violence, substance abuse, and agricultural concerns. The ceremony also included an appeal for the newly inducted regiment to volunteer in constructing a 37-kilometre fence in an FMD containment zone.

    9 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana

Monday 8 June

  1. Private colleges to expand TVET training capacity in Botswana

    Higher Education Minister Prince Maele visited the Gaborone Institute of Professional Studies to discuss private Education and Training Providers as strategic partners in expanding access to Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Private institutions are seen as helping bridge capacity limitations in public technical colleges and brigades to support economic growth and national development.

    8 June 2026 · Mmegi

  2. Goroku residents report sewage hazards, crime, wildlife threats

    Residents of Goroku in Maun North have raised concerns over a sewage-contaminated area near their settlement, stating it has become a hotspot for crime, human-wildlife conflict, and potential health risks. The concerns were raised at a kgotla meeting with the Member of Parliament for Maun North, where residents appealed for urgent government intervention over wastewater discharged into a forested area that has drawn elephants and other wild animals, contaminated livestock water supplies, and provided cover for livestock theft.

    8 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  3. DDC establishes task force to address street children crisis in Maun

    The District Development Committee has tasked the Department of Social and Community Development and the District Child Protection Committee to investigate why children are abandoning education for the streets in Maun, and to map social protection programmes. The Child Protection Committee has profiled 34 children and formed a task force to address cases involving parental abandonment, family breakdown, poverty, and social exclusion.

    8 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana

  4. Trust empowers adolescent girls through mentorship and healing

    Empowered Girls Botswana Trust, founded in 2019, works to mentor and empower adolescent girls and young women through personal development, leadership, mental wellness, and career guidance. According to founder Olorato Taleyana, the organisation focuses on healing unresolved experiences and creating safe spaces where young women can rebuild confidence and discover their purpose.

    8 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana

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