Botswana: losing its sparkle?

Wame Molefhe profiles Botswana, where prosperity has morphed into corruption and inequality. But will the country’s future see it regain the sparkle its diamonds offer to the rich?

‘A nation without a culture is a lost nation.’ This misquote has been attributed to

the first president of Botswana and perhaps stems from a yearning for a past era when ‘because it is our culture’ was the predictable response to questions as to why things were done in a particular way. What Seretse Khama actually said, in 1970, was ‘a nation without a past is a lost nation, and a people without a past is a people without a soul’.

A map showing Botswana in relation to its neighbours
A map showing Botswana in
relation to its neighbours.

Botswana is a sub-Saharan, land-locked country about the size of France, with a population of just over two million people and about half as many cattle. After 80 years as a British Protectorate, Bechuanaland became the independent Republic of Botswana on 30 September 1966. At independence it was one of the 25 poorest countries in the world.

The discovery of diamonds in 1967 and other minerals helped transform it into a middle-income economy. Prudent management of its natural resources has contributed to its continuously scoring high in international indicators for economic freedom, ease of doing business, global competitiveness and corruption perception index.

Looking out over the main pit of the Jwaneng mine in the Kalahari – the richest diamond mine in the world.
Looking out over the main pit of the Jwaneng mine in the Kalahari – the richest diamond mine in the world. Photo: Marc Shoul/Panos Pictures

In recent decades, however, the country’s sparkle-pretty image has been rusting somewhat. In 1994, following the Christie Commission, which exposed gross maladministration in land and housing provision, the Directorate of Crime and Economic Crime was established.

It was a welcome development, seen as a means of curbing corruption. In 2007, the Directorate of Intelligence Services (DIS) came into being. However, over the years its activities have sown doubt and fear in the population, not least because of its military-heavy make-up and the lack of transparency and accountability regarding its financial expenditure.

The country’s reliance on diamond exports and the non-existence of a robust manufacturing base continue to give rise to calls for economic diversification. The tourism sector is growing amidst concerns about infringement of the rights of the indigenous peoples of the Kalahari Desert, the San or ‘Basarwa’. Unemployment continues to rise, with only 1,000 jobs available in the formal sector for 10,000 graduates each year. It is now common for the words ‘Botswana’, ‘tax haven’, ‘money laundering’ and ‘corruption’ to be said in the same breath. The amassing of wealth by a few has widened the chasm between the haves and those who are barely surviving – Botswana is now among the world’s most unequal countries.

Botswana: Nthompe Rosinah Mothata selling her snacks in Gaborone’s bus station.
Nthompe Rosinah Mothata selling her snacks in Gaborone’s bus station. Photo: Marc Shoul/Panos Pictures

The HIV pandemic continues to be a challenge – Botswana was one of the hardest-hit countries in the world – although the country’s healthcare system has embraced the ‘Treat All’ policy and offers free anti-retroviral treatment for all its citizens.

Ever since independence, the country has been a stable, multiparty democracy and is extolled as a shining example of democracy on the African continent. It has held general elections every five years – albeit always won by the same party, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). In 2014, it won 37 out of the 57 parliamentary seats, though it garnered the lowest popular vote in its history. With elections forthcoming in 2019, it remains to be seen if the opposition will be sufficiently well organized to mount a real challenge to the ruling party.

Botswana: The Three Dikgosi (Chiefs) Monument depicting the leaders of the Bangwato, Bakwena and Bangwaketse ethnic groups – a set of bronze figures cast by a North Korean company and located in Gaborone’s Central Business District.
The Three Dikgosi (Chiefs) Monument depicting the leaders of the Bangwato, Bakwena and Bangwaketse ethnic groups – a set of bronze figures cast by a North Korean company and located in Gaborone’s Central Business District. Photo: Marc Shoul / Panos Pictures

Therisanyo is a cornerstone of Botswana’s system of governance. This belief in consultation is deeply rooted in the country’s kgotla system. The kgotla, where all gather, is a space for every voice to be heard, where one can speak freely without fear of reprisal. And perhaps the days ahead will bring positive change – a blend of the old ways and the new leave to form a Botswana with real soul that future generations will be able to celebrate.