Features :: Mmegi Online

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

New De Beers’ CEO plans downstream partnership with Botswana

De Beers’ new CEO, Al Cook, believes room exists for the diamond giant and Botswana to leverage on their brands and jointly pursue opportunities in the jewellery retail market, the much-desired Promised Land government is pushing for a foothold in. Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI reports

Mbongeni Mguni | 23 May 2023

New broom: Cook during his meeting with local media last week PIC: MBONGENI MGUNI

Thinking forward: Muchuchuti sees AI as a game-changer in solving local development challenges. PIC: MORERI SEJSKGOMO

Homegrown AI seeks solutions to local challenges

The recent launch of ChatGPT, the widely popular and free-to-access Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot, has raised global awareness of the revolutionary potential the technology holds. While their global peers have the luxury of creating AI for fun, such as altering images, local AI engineers are working on solving development challenges, reports Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI

Mbongeni Mguni | 19 May 2023

Old school: The original campaigns against HIV focussed on prevention. With the advent of ARVs and PMTCT, people have let down their guard somewhat. Experts say a return to the message of prevention is essential to retaining the 95-95-95 achievement

Why are HIV infections rising despite historic 95-95-95 feat?

Why are more and more people getting HIV, despite the country achieving UNAIDS’ near impossible 95-95-95 target? Delegates who gathered for three days in Palapye for an HIV Prevention Symposium came up with revealing responses to the question. Mmegi Correspondent, NNASARETHA KGAMANYANE writes.

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | 16 May 2023

Unhappy hunting ground: Social media is the platform most preferred by scammers

Escaping the collapse of a pyramid

What seemed like a golden opportunity to make extra cash by simply “pressing,” is turning into a nightmare, with some investors losing more than P20,000 in the latest get-rich quick “opportunity” to hit the country. Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI reports

Mbongeni Mguni | 16 May 2023

Girl power: Women are slowly claiming their place in the country’s economy PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

Women smash the glass ceiling but...

A recent series of high profile female corporate appointments has underlined the distance women have gone in getting their fair share of economic opportunities. New data also shows that the difference in average pay has more than halved, while female managers now earn more than men. TIMOTHY LEWANIKA & MBONGENI MGUNI report

Timothy Lewanika,Mbongeni Mguni | 08 May 2023

The ins and outs of Collective Investment Undertakings

In this Q and A, Mmegi Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI, speaks to the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA) Capital Markets director, JULIANA WHITE on Collective Investment Undertakings (CIUs), the investments increasingly popular with retail investors

Mbongeni Mguni | 05 May 2023

Déjà vu: One of the last El Nino events drained Gaborone Dam in 2015. It took Cyclone Dineo in 2017 to replenish the dam, which is the country’s second largest

Food prices remain stubborn while dreaded El Nino nears

While the pace of price increases in the local economy has come down from the 14-year highs seen last year, inflation amongst food items remains stubbornly high. With the dreaded El Nino phenomenon set to return this year after drying up Gaborone Dam in 2015, the outlook is dire. Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI reports

Mbongeni Mguni | 05 May 2023

Doing business in Africa: Maurice says regulatory environments differ drastically from one country to the next in Africa PIC: MBONGENI MGUNI

Growing the seeds of innovation

On the sidelines of this week’s Forbes Under 30 Summit, two international firms – one already in the country and the other looking for local opportunities to put money in – spoke to Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI about what they believe are the ingredients for entrepreneurial success in Botswana

Mbongeni Mguni | 04 May 2023

New pathways: Lahri says the experience of the Lesedi la Rona auction impressed upon Lucara the need to engage partners such as HB Antwerp

Learning the lessons from the Lesedi la Rona sabotage

Government’s desire for greater participation in the diamond industry’s downstream, traces its origins, in part, to the little known sabotage of the Lesedi la Rona auction in 2016, where the iconic stone fetched far below its potential. A silent vow of “never again,” was made, reports Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI

Mbongeni Mguni | 04 May 2023

HB deal a signal of govt’s goals in diamonds

While government’s equity deal with HB Antwerp, announced this week, is a clear sign of where the state sees greater value for the country as the major diamond mines reach maturity, analysts are watching for one key factor: scale.

Mbongeni Mguni | 06 April 2023

Memories of a bad Easter

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | 06 April 2023

Walking in the mountains of Lesotho

Mompoloki Rankgate | 05 April 2023

How to shake a giant

Mbongeni Mguni | 04 April 2023

The P40bn miracle hidden in the hills above Kanye

Mbongeni Mguni | 28 March 2023

A dimming copper dream suddenly burns bright

Mbongeni Mguni | 24 March 2023

Pension withdrawal debate: NBFIRA focuses on old-age poverty

Mbongeni Mguni | 22 March 2023

Mercy Thebe leaves Limkokwing

Limkokwing University has lost one of its pioneer staff members, Mercy Thebe who has served the university for the past 16 years.

We are exporting jobs - Gare

FRANCISTOWN: Government is worried that the country is exporting a lot of jobs by not adding value to its resources.

Dada dragged into Masisi family tender dispute

Motor magnate and Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) treasurer, Satar Dada has been dragged into President Mokgweetsi Masisi's family dispute as more details come to light in the legal war over a government tender.

Khama loses

Former president, Ian Khama has lost a case in which he was challenging the interpretation and constitutionality of section 5(1)(b) of the Extradition Act of 1962 1 (the Act) before the South African High Court.

A3 road accident claims 22 lives

A horrific fatal accident has occurred along the A3 road (Francistown-Nata road), just near Marapong village after a Sprinter mini bus headed to Maun from Francistown collided with a truck.

Hiding in the dark: Cyber criminals target Botswana due to its relatively high per capita wealth and weak controls or awareness amongst many corporates and users

Cyber attacks hit parastatals

The Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) and the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) have become the latest targets of cyber criminals, with both organisations reporting phishing attacks this week.

Heart of the economy: Diamond mining remains the core of the country’s economic wellbeing PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

‘Lies, Damn Lies... and Statistics’

Last year, the ‘Knot’, the highly rated American wedding magazine asked 12,000 newly wed couples whether they chose a natural or a lab-grown diamond for their engagement ring? This year they published the result… 36% chose the latter.

GBV: The big elephant in the room

Sadly, the country seems not to have proper tools and the extent to which women and the girl-child are being abused is not adequately measured.Almost every week there are reports of women being attacked by their significant others and while men are attacked as well, women seem to be more on the receiving end.On May 24, 2023 news broke that a woman who was receiving support from the Botswana Gender-Based Violence Prevention Centre in Gaborone, was...

The Monitor Editor | 29 May 2023

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