No appeal, no buses as Operators pull fleet
Larona Makhaiza | Saturday April 4, 2026 19:25
The transport industry in this past week have been embroiled in issues over commuter price hike. On March 31, 2026, government publicised a gazette announcing new transport price hike.
From social media and university students protesting at the Office of the President, it was clear enough that Batswana were disgruntled by the new prices.
The government was forced to reverse the transport price hike and instead adopt the proposed price hike of December 2025.
While Batswana welcomed the development with open arms, the same could not be said by Bus Operators as they filed an urgent application to contest the sudden reversal.
Appearing before the Gaborone High Court today, Bus Operators argued that government was in breach of agreement.
'The crack in the case is the legality taken by the first respondent (Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure) to reverse fares that were agreed upon and published on March 31st, 2026,' Bus Operators argued.
The Operators emphasised that not only was the government in breach of the agreement, it was also unlawful.
'The reversal is unlawful, it does not comply with the law. It is not possible that after publishing the gazette, you go and reverse it the next day, ' he said.
The Association also raised that bus Operators are running at a loss and if the prices remain like this, businesses will go under.
However Joao Salbany for the State said the court should not entertain the application by Bus Operators seeking an interdict.
He said their line of argument that everything was done unlawful is far from the truth.
'The government's actions are deemed to be lawful and the implementation of regulations and law are deemed to be for the public benefit,' he said.
On the reversal of the decision part, Salbany said it is a common practice for government to do such through a corrigendum.
'A corrigendum is an error that is realised after publishing and it is used to correct errors. So we are speaking of a publication that is why government permits the use of corrigendum,' Salbany said.
Addressing the fears that bus operators' business might go under, Salbany said it wouldn't be the first.
'It is the applicants choice to enter a business, but the public does not have one that is why the government regulates this field. There are many businesses that go under daily,' he said.
Eventually Judge Masilo Mathaka presiding over the matter dismissed the application by Bus Operators with costs. Government instead decided to adopt prices proposed in December 2025.
In light of this Bus Operators said their buses will stop, and they will not appeal the court's decision.
'We will not appeal the decision, but we want to say that our buses will not be on the road tomorrow until we meet President Duma Boko,' association chairperson, Tirafalo Mponang said.