The two pre-eminent 'Batswana' international writers

They lived worlds apart and had so many contrasts between them but one thing that is common about both of them is that they have put Botswana on the world map. For a start her mother's white family rejected Bessie Head because her father was black. On the other hand, Alexander McCall-Smith's parents are both British and white and his upbringing was good.

Although Head's maternal family was opulent she died in poverty, while on the other hand it is clear that McCall-Smith is safe from the clutches of poverty.

Both of them adore Botswana and their love for the country has been immortalised in their books. Head's affectionate depiction of Serowe in her book Serowe: The Village of Rain Wind has prompted many to visit the semi-arid country when she wrote:

Editor's Comment
Micro-procurement maze demands urgent reform

Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...

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