Category: Daily News

Patrons of bar outlets around Gaborone have expressed gratitude to the government for increasing liqour licence trading operating hours over the festive season.

The Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship recently announced an extension of liquor trading hours over the festive season, permitting bars to operate from 10am until 6am, what alcohol clients term ‘lalavoka’ in local parlance.

The Daily News spent the early morning of Christmas Day observing the situation at  outlets in the vicinity of Gaborone and patrons largely expressed positive sentiments.

A patron in Mogoditshane said throughout the Christmas Eve night into the morning of Christmas Day, scores of people had been imbibing and listening to music at the Tsabong complex, in an orderly manner.

Another person said business was likely to boom for bars but expressed the concern that nightclubs might struggle to gain clients over the festive season, as people may prefer to buy liquor at a cheaper price in bars.

Similar sentiments were expressed by bar employees and patrons at Gaborone’s Phase 2, Block 5 and Block 6 precincts. 

They said there had not been any incidents of disorderly conduct often associated with long hours of alcohol consumption.

As the festive travel season reaches its peak, Tlokweng Border Post officials are raising the alarm over a recurring issue of parents attempting to cross the border with children without the required birth certificates or parental affidavits.

According to Immigration administration officer, Mr Emmanuel Lephirimile, a significant surge in movement began the week of December 13, largely driven by families travelling for holiday shopping.

However, many travellers are arriving at the gates unprepared.

Mr Lephirimile explained that a passport alone was not enough for minors.

Under current regulations, any child under the age of 18 must travel with a valid passport and an unabridged birth certificate.

“In the absence of one parent, we require an affidavit from the absent parent, along with a copy of their Omang (identity card), authorising the other parent to travel with the child. Even when a relative, such as an uncle, travels with the child, both parents must provide authorised affidavits granting permission,” he said.

Officials noted that many parents, both mothers and fathers, were found lacking the necessary paperwork.

Many mistakenly believed that their physical presence or verbal confirmation of parenthood would be sufficient to clear immigration.

The documentation rules also apply to birth certificates that do not list a father’s name.

In such cases, the mother is the sole legal guardian, however, if the father intends to travel with the child alone, the mother must still provide an affidavit authorising the trip.

Beyond missing certificates, immigration officers are grappling with a spike in damaged or expired travel documents.

Mr Lephirimile noted that broken pages, water-soaked covers and expired passports were common sights during the holiday rush.

“We often see people reach the border only to realise their passport has already expired,” he said.

While the department may occasionally consider the urgency of travel, they maintain strict standards for those heading beyond neighbouring borders.

Mr Lephirimile reminded citizens that while High Commissions and Embassies can facilitate certain travel documents, they were not always a quick fix for a damaged passport at the border. Travellers are urged to inspect their documents weeks before their departure date to avoid being turned away. 

Some Bakhurutshe women on December 23 came together to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas, spreading joy and warmth to all.

Hosted by Mohumagadi Koontse Radipitse, wife of Kgosi Bokamoso Radipitse, the Christmas party was a vibrant showcase of love, compassion and sisterhood.

Under the theme: Mosadi wa Tsholofelo (Luke 1:45), the women gathered at the Talk of the Village gardens in Tonota, dressed in festive attire and Christmas hats, radiating happiness and hope.

Mohumagadi Radipitse shared that the event aimed to recognise women as pillars of the nation, deserving of love, respect and celebration.

Mohumagadi Radipitse announced that the event would be an annual tradition, with next year’s celebration expected to be even more spectacular.

Motivational speakers, including Ms Kgalalelo Mashane, encouraged the women to support and uplift each other, embracing their inner strength and potential.

“Let us be the women spoken of in Luke 1:45, filled with faith and purpose,” she said. 

Heavy rains on Monday night caused widespread damages in some parts of Francistown following the overflowing of Ntshe and Tati rivers.

In Monarch, a poultry farmer lost 172 chickens while funeral parlour incurred losses due to the flooding.  

Caretaker at Masego Industries poultry production, Ms Chendzimu Kgari, reported that some farm houses were waterlogged and had relocated some of their broilers to safer areas.

Francistown District Commissioner and chairperson of the Disaster Management Committee, Ms Chabongwa Matseka reported that Gerald Estate was also affected, with a homestead submerged in water.

She said the disaster team had been working since 3am to help the affected.

She further warned residents living near the rivers to be vigilant, as more rains were expected.

The Ntimbale dam near Masingwaneng is overflowing, contributing to the flooding downstream.

The Botswana National Productivity Centre (BNPC) and the Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA) have partnered to enhance productivity across SEZA-supported investor projects, starting with a diagnostic review at the Selebi Phikwe Citrus (SPC) project.The collaboration follows SEZA inspections that identified productivity gaps, particularly in skills among local workers. Already, Selebi Phikwe Citrus project is bedeviled with a challenge of unskilled fruit pickers, which reportedly cost the project P9 million.In an interview, SEZA acting deputy chief executive officer, Ms Tapiwa Masie emphasised the need for skilled labour to help investors meet international contractual obligations and achieve targets for investment and profitability.She noted that SEZA’s licensing prioritises employment creation for Batswana, making productivity issues a key concern.Ms Masie further explained that SEZA and BNPC partnership aimed to build requisite skills, not only at SPC, but across all SEZA investors to support production and export goals.For her part, BNPC’s acting executive director, Ms Matlho Seitshiro described the centre’s mandate to champion productivity at individual, firm, and sectoral levels. She highlighted consultancy services, policy advisory roles, and productivity measurements, including upcoming launches of agricultural productivity statistics in January 2026 and a five-year national productivity data with projections in February 2026.Ms Seitshiro acknowledged national challenges, citing a drop in labour productivity from 2.2 per cent in 2023 to 0.4 per cent in 2024, and total factor productivity declining from -2 percent to -3.6 percent.She attributed labour productivity challenges to work ethic issues, worker motivation and performance management application as seen in the citrus project where there were observable differences in output between local and foreign worker and broader societal factors.To address this, she said BNPC had launched a nationwide campaign to sensitise citizens on productivity’s importance.Ms Seitshiro noted Botswana ranked 68 out of 69 middle-income countries in worker motivation, stressing the urgency for improved self-motivation and competitiveness.

Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe, on December 22, joined Sehithwa senior citizens and People with Disabilities to celebrate early Christmas lunch courtesy of Kgosi Keokeditswe Dithapo and his wife, Gaongalelwe.

The event was meant to bring the residents together to share a meal, laughter and the spirit of Christmas.

Speaking at the event, Mr Gaolathe appreciated the family for demonstrating love and care toward the elderly persons and People with Disabilities.

He said the senior citizens deserved better as they had contributed a lot toward the development of the country.

He said they had laid a strong foundation, which all had to maintain to take the country to greater heights.

He also described the elderly as pillars of families, saying they instilled values, taught responsibilities and fostered learning and resilience.

Maun West MP, Mr Caterpillar Hikuama also thanked the Dithapo family for recognizing senior citizens and People with Disabilities.

He acknowledged that the elderly were the pillars of homes.

To People with Disabilities, he said their resilience and presence inspired all noting that the celebration was a testament that all in the constituency were valued.  

As torrential rains continue to pound the city, residents living near the Tati and Ntshe rivers have been urged to be vigilant, following warnings of potential flooding. 

“Those staying on the banks of these two rivers should always be on the alert,” Ms Matseka 

District Commissioner and chairperson of the Francistown Disaster Management Committee, Ms Chabongwa Matseka warned. 

With the Ntimbale Dam overflowing, she also said the Tati River was likely to follow suit, posing a significant threat to nearby communities.

Motorists are also being advised to exercise extreme caution, particularly on the A3 (Francistown/Nata/Maun road), which is currently under construction. 

“Be extra vigilant and keep a safe distance to avoid hitting each other behind due to slippery roads,” Ms Matseka cautioned. 

She encouraged the public to report any flood-related incidents to the Office of the District Commissioner or the Office of the City Clerk.

A battle of David and Golliath is expected at the Tangier Grand Stadium in Morocco when the senior national football team, Zebras lock horns with Les Lions de la Teranga of Senegal in their TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) opening game tomorrow.

The Zebras, lowest ranked team in the tournament and the number two in Africa, Senegal, are in Group D, together with Democratic Republic of Congo and Benin. Going into the game as underdogs can work for the Zebras as they will be playing against a team made up of players who ply their trade in professional league as at some point, they have watched them play.

While some football pundits are warning against Sadio Mane, one lethal player to watch for is left back, Lliman Ndiaye. On the Zebras’ side, Mosha Gaolaloolwe, Thatayaone Ditlhokwe and company are expected to keep the enemy at bay.

Asked about the pressure of playing against number two in Africa, head coach, Morena Ramoreboli said in an interview that they were ready to fight for the country, adding that players’ spirit was high.

In his entire football career as a coach, he said he had been an underdog opponent.

“I think I have learnt to survive that space. I always tell players to embrace the opportunity of being regarded as underdogs, because that is the only time they can make a name, leave a mark and be taken seriously,” he said.

“The boys are ready and we will do our best to make sure that we reach the level of football and coemption where everybody will be very proud of us,” he added.

He further said the team was injury free, though some players had minor knocks when preparing for the tournament.

“From training, and friendly games, players would have minor knocks, but we have everybody ready,” he said.

In their preparations against Tunisia, he said they managed to achieve their mandate given that they managed to score, defended well and played as a unit. Also, he said they managed to withstand and resisted the pressure. Overall, he said it was a good preparation. 

The air in Gaborone is thick with festive anticipation. Across the city, shopping malls such as Game City, Airport Junction and Molapo Crossing thrum with life, their corridors alive with a high-volume ballet of shoppers moving in bursts of laughter and urgency.

Trolleys rattle, tills beep and Christmas playlists loop endlessly as families hunt for the perfect gift, drawn into the seasonal rush that turns ordinary errands into a shared December ritual.Yet beneath the sparkle lies a darker reality. The very rush that gives December its energy also makes the season prime hunting ground for seasoned scammers, who prey on people momentarily disarmed by crowds, noise and holiday urgency.

While the once-common “double your money” schemes inside malls have waned, the danger has merely changed shape. Parking lots, ATM queues and traffic-choked access roads have become high-risk zones where a split second of inattention can prove costly.

During a visit to Airport Junction Mall, casual conversations with shoppers revealed that festive fraud is not an abstract warning but a lived reality. Their stories differ in detail but share a common thread: the scam unfolds in moments, exploiting the chaos of the season.

For Thato Mookamedi (45), a government employee and mother of three, last December’s trip to a mall near her home was meant to be routine — a quick cash withdrawal to buy groceries. She approached a standalone ATM outside Molapo Crossing, keenly aware of the festive rush around her.

“I was in a hurry,” she recalls. “It was a Tuesday afternoon and the queue was long. When it was finally my turn, my card kept refusing to go in properly. That’s when a well-dressed, polite young man stepped forward and offered to help.”

The stranger explained that the ATM was “sensitive” and suggested he guide the card while she entered her PIN. A flicker of unease crossed her mind, but the pressure of the line and his professional manner overrode her instinct.

“He suddenly said the machine ‘o jele karata ya gago, rakgadi’ and pointed at the receipt slot, saying something was coming out,” she explains.

In a split second, as he created a small commotion, he swapped her card for a dummy.

“He said, ‘Ah, it says transaction cancelled. Try a different machine or bank,’ and handed me back the card. I slipped it into my wallet and walked away, irritated more by the faulty ATM than anything else. It wasn’t until I tried to pay at a supermarket that I realised the card wasn’t mine. Over P6 000 had been withdrawn in moments,” she says, her festive plans derailed in an instant.

Another victim, Pako Keodibele (32), a self-employed businessman, recounts a different trap in the dim, crowded underground parking of Game City.

“A woman suddenly appeared and pointed frantically at my front tyre, shouting in Setswana that it was completely flat — ga o kake wa kgweetsa koloi ka leotwana le le flat,” he says. Instinctively, leaving a trolley full of electronics, he bent down to check the supposedly flat tyre. Moments later, his wallet — which he had left atop the trolley — was gone.

“One person created the drama while an accomplice lifted my wallet. The crowd, darkness and chaos made it easy for them to disappear. It took less than 30 seconds,” he says.

Inside were his ID, bank cards and a large amount of cash he had set aside for the holidays. Neo Lesole (28), a university student, also fell prey to a festive distraction. Walking towards the taxi rank at Airport Junction, a man bumped into her, spilling a sticky substance on her clothes and bags.

“He apologised profusely, saying he’d tripped. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry, my coffee must have spilled! Let me clean it for you, please!’” she explains.

As he flustered her with apologies and fussed over the mess, her handbag — momentarily set down — was emptied of cash and her phone. Money for her bus fare and a P200 note from her grandmother were all gone.

“It was over in seconds,” she says. “He kept me facing away from my things, cleaning the small smudge. Then he looked up, said, ‘I’m so sorry, have a nice day,’ and just walked off.”

The commotion had been a deliberate distraction, designed to force her to drop her guard. Neo’s story, like Thato’s and Pako’s, shows that these crimes rely less on sophistication than on timing, pressure and predictable seasonal distractions. None of the victims were threatened with force. The scammers simply nudged, hurried or unsettled them just enough to act.

Physical scams, however, are only one part of the picture. The festive season increasingly brings digital fraud, particularly through mobile money platforms such as Orange Money and e-Wallet. Scammers operate invisibly, exploiting trust and urgency through spoofed messages, fake promotions and fraudulent calls, draining accounts in seconds. December amplifies this risk as people rush, spend more and respond quickly to urgent-sounding messages.

What makes these scams particularly effective is the emotional climate of the season. People are sending money to relatives, paying for transport and groceries, and juggling multiple expenses, often without their usual caution. Scammers mimic official language, create artificial urgency and rely on the assumption that no one wants their Christmas plans disrupted.

In an interview, Superintendent Zibani Seretse of the Botswana Police Service’s Serious Crime Squad confirmed that several cases of obtaining money by false pretence have been recorded, with many Batswana losing significant amounts.

“The most common are competition scams where criminals call pretending to be banks, claiming you’ve won vouchers and requesting banking details,” she explains. “During the 2024 festive season, losses reached P7.6 million, and between January and October this year, P6.6 million.”

Supt. Seretse urges the public to remain vigilant. “Beware of imposters, never share PINs or OTPs, and report suspicious activity immediately.”

As the holiday season unfolds in Gaborone and beyond, the message is clear: to enjoy a safe and joyous Christmas, vigilance is essential. Protect your belongings, safeguard your banking information and remain alert to opportunistic tactics. In a season defined by giving and celebration, awareness is the gift that preserves both your joy and your hard-earned money. 

Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe has commended staff of Parliament of Botswana and Ntlo Ya Dikgosi for their selflessness and unwavering commitment to serving the nation.

Mr Gaolathe made the remarks during a Christmas party hosted by the staff in Tlokweng on December 17.

He thanked Parliament staff for their dedication to strengthening Botswana’s democracy and for fostering unity as the year drew to a close. “Thank you for making yourselves available for us to lead. True leadership is a thankless job. You made sacrifices, including precious family time. The world may not always say thank you, but God sees you,” said the Vice President.

Several Members of Parliament, dikgosi and other notable public figures attended the event, underscoring the spirit of unity and national pride.

Mr Gaolathe also acknowledged the contributions made in Parliament by a number of MPs, including Leader of the Opposition, Mr Dumelang Saleshando, whom he praised for offering alternative views and opinions in the House.

“I want to thank him for his vision and the way he does things. He stands tall and has the courage to express his beliefs. This is a country that embraces differences of opinion,” Mr Gaolathe said.

For his part, Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse applauded staff for navigating significant changes and thriving throughout the year.

“Our commitment to excellence and our capacity to work together has been the cornerstone of our success. Our focus on high performance has yielded impressive results despite limited resources, outdated systems and structural challenges,” he said.

Mr Keorapetse noted that through collective effort, staff had achieved several milestones demonstrating a strong commitment to reform.

“The primary aim has been to strengthen parliamentary governance and oversight, ultimately improving independence, democracy and development. These achievements were made possible through strategic partnerships, for which we remain humble and grateful,” he added.

He further observed that 2024 marked 60 years of parliamentary democracy in Botswana, describing Parliament as the bedrock of the country’s democratic system over the past six decades.

He emphasised the importance of acknowledging the enduring contributions of MPs and Dikgosi, past and present, who have worked tirelessly in service of the nation.