Botswana buys military weapons every year
Kagiso Sekokonyane | Monday May 19, 2014 16:26
Curiously Botswana fares badly in the list of countries participating in the UN registration of conventional arms. The country ranks the worst in East and Southern Africa in declaring military imports. Botswana is shown to have declared its military hardware imports only once between 1999 and 2008, according to a report by the United Nations, published on the UNROCA online database.
As a manufacturer and exporter of weapons, South Africa however is compelled to produce annual reports (National Conventional Arms Control Committee Annual Reports) to its Parliament and the UN to ensure transparency, although in some cases, data seems to have been deliberately distorted to conceal certain information about the importing entity including Botswana.
For instance, the 2009 report suggests that Botswana may have spent well over P30m on weapon imports from South Africa. That year, Botswana imported unspecified quantities of main battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, combat aircrafts and large calibre artillery. The only cost revealed is P30,051,404 for large calibre artillery at.
The South African reports state that Botswana imported war planes from South Africa on three different occasions between 2007 and 2010. South African made combat aircraft include the Atlas Cheetah fighter jet, a multi-mission combat pane.
Large calibre artillery, which include South African made G5 howitzer, were imported on five occasions between 2007 and 2010. South Africa’s National Conventional Arms Control Committee Annual Reports indicate that Botswana has been importing military tanks, armoured vehicles, attack helicopters, large calibre artillery, missiles å-and missile launchers between 2007 and 2012.
However, in the 2010 report, South Africa does not state the amount Botswana spent in importing category A and B weaponry, which include main battle tanks and armoured vehicles. The explanation for the purchase in the report is that the weapons are for demonstrations. In 2008 another large calibre artillery was bought for slightly P81,00,000, while P4,407,800 was used on main battle tanks.
More battle tanks, armoured vehicles would be purchased again in 2011 for P321,195 and P53,100 respectively, while another P12,988, 265 was used to acquire large calibre artillery and attack helicopters.
In 2012, Botswana boought battle tanks worth P321,195, armoured combat vehicles worth P53,100, and large calibre artillery worth P12,988,265, with a further P744,210 for missiles and missile launchers.
However, the South African reports do not state the quantities of the armoury purchased. The prices given for the weapons imported seem to differ with the actual estimates of the unit costs in the market.
For instance, Botswana is listed as having paid a paltry P19,900 for main battle tanks in 2007, which according to The Monitor investigations cost millions of US dollars.
In this category South Africa manufactures, the famous main battle tank, the Olifant MK1B, which reportedly does not come cheap.
At some point, the South African report put Botswana’s imports of large calibre artillery at P150,000 for military hardware that cost up to P40 million a unit.
The South African manufacturer, Denel make the G5 Howitzers and G6 Howitzers which reportedly cost in excess of US$4 million (or P40 million). This category also include missiles and missile launchers which according to research costs from $500,000 upwards.
Combat aircraft’s costs as reflected in the South African parliamentary report is shown to be in the region of P100,000. But The Monitor has learnt that South Africa manufactures multi-purpose Atlas Cheetah jetfighters, believed to cost millions of dollars. The Botswana Defence Force (BDF) Public Relations Unit could not react to the report, referring The Monitor to the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security instead.