Vehicle population soars past 600,000

On the move: Used vehicles have pushed up the country's vehicle population
On the move: Used vehicles have pushed up the country's vehicle population

The number of vehicles actively registered on the country’s roads rose to 613,845 last year, about six percent above the figure in 2020, as the opening up of the economy from COVID-19 helped boost purchases.

The national vehicle population, as measured and reported by Statistics Botswana, fell marginally in 2020 to 579,789 from 601,190 in 2019, as the pandemic contracted incomes and was accompanied by movement restrictions.

As a result, the pace of new vehicle registrations declined for the first time in at least 10 years, while the national vehicle population fell due to some vehicles being put out of active registration.

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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