Kgafela Kgafela II, Paramount Chief of the Bakgatla ba Kgafela, has called on members of his tribe in Botswana to raise R2.5 million to support his ongoing legal fight over the Bakgatla ba Kgafela chieftaincy in South Africa. The self-exiled chief is challenging the authority of Kgosi Nyalala Pilane in an appeal before South Africa’s Constitutional Court. In correspondence presented to the tribe this week, Kgafela seeks formal recognition as the rightful leader of the...

Potlako Mawande, the former Chief Operating Officer of the Gambling Authority, has filed a defamation lawsuit seeking P16,729,000 against his previous employer. He alleges that the Authority dismissed him based on fabricated evidence and subsequently blacklisted him within the gambling industry. The writ of summons, filed at the Gaborone High Court on June 2, 2026, accuses the Gambling Authority of orchestrating a deliberate campaign to tarnish his professional reputation. At the heart of the dispute...

The Court of Appeal is scheduled to hear an appeal on June 19, 2026, brought by First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) and two others challenging a High Court ruling that halted the sale of properties linked to businessman Samson Guma Moyo. The dispute arises from FNBB’s efforts to recover debts related to Moyo’s company, United Refineries Botswana Holdings (Pty) Ltd. To satisfy these debts, FNBB initiated execution proceedings against properties connected to Moyo and associated...

In the opening quarter of 2026, Botswana confronted a grim and unrelenting reality: more than 7,500 cases of gender-based violence (GBV) were recorded nationwide, a statistic that underscores the deep-rooted and persistent challenge of violence that continues to ravage individuals and families across the country. Despite a slight numerical dip from the same period last year, where over 7,800 cases were reported, the figures remain a stark reminder of a crisis that refuses to abate....

French healthcare conglomerate CFAO Healthcare has received unconditional approval from Botswana’s Competition and Consumer Authority (CCA) to acquire a 75 percent controlling interest in Medswana Proprietary Limited, a leading pharmaceutical wholesaler in the country. This move marks one of the most significant transactions in Botswana’s pharmaceutical sector. The CCA granted approval on May 13, 2026, clearing the way for CFAO Healthcare to expand its footprint in Botswana’s healthcare supply chain through the acquisition of the...

The world is bracing for a weather phenomenon that meteorologists say could reshape climate patterns and intensify extreme weather events across the globe in 2026. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has issued an urgent warning: a strong El Niño event is developing and poised to exacerbate droughts, heavy rainfall, and heatwaves both on land and in the oceans. This climate disruption, experts warn, will pour fuel on the already blazing fire of global warming, threatening...

Tax crimes in Botswana have quietly but profoundly eroded the nation’s economic foundation, siphoning more than P1.7 billion from public coffers between 2020 and 2024, according to the latest Botswana Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (ML/TF) Risk Assessment 2025.

Tshepo Pilane, the former Acting Director General of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), has served a stunning notice of intention to sue the government. He alleges a high-level conspiracy aimed at victimizing him through unlawful demotion and a failure to investigate credible death threats against his life. The legal notice, delivered by the law firm Monthe Marumo & Co on May 5, 2026, names several top officials as respondents: the Attorney General,...

The Court of Appeal (CoA) has overturned a High Court ruling that had halted the multi-million-dollar sale of Mupane Gold Mining’s assets, paving the way for the transaction to proceed. The appellate panel, consisting of Judge President Tebogo Tau, Isaac Lesetedi, and Lot Moroka, set aside an interim interdict that had frozen the liquidation process. The court dismissed the legal challenge from rival bidder Ulsan Botswana, describing it as “drawn from the depths of emptiness.”...

The 2025 Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing National Risk Assessment paints a stark picture of Botswana’s illicit drug market. Marijuana, known locally as dagga or motekwane, claims the lion’s share, with an estimated street value of P48,765,433. Trailing behind is methcathinone, commonly called CAT, valued at P5,696,795, reflecting a worrying rise in its presence.