Features :: Mmegi Online

Friday, September 17, 2021

Making millionaires: The thinking behind govt’s Middle- Class Strategy

A fortnight ago, government briefed on plans to create 100 new, young citizen millionaires in the next 10 years as part of a Middle-Class Strategy. The plans were met with criticism and even cynicism by many Batswana. Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI engages Trade Ministry experts behind the strategy to get more details and answers

Mbongeni Mguni | 17 September 2021

Growing the middle: The Trade Ministry estimates that 34.8% of households, or 275,104 individuals in the country can be classified as middle-class

Learners in a school hall. PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO

Attractive classroom provides conducive environment

It’s not just teaching that is important; the school infrastructure must be in good shape, well maintained and suitable for the needs of pupils. This is because a tidy, well maintained and attractive classroom provides an environment that will be conducive to effective learning writes Mmegi Correspondent, GRAHAME MCLEOD

GRAHAME MCLEOD | 10 September 2021

People walking in Main Mall. PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO

SOE: The good and the bad

I will accept and be confident of the declaration of the President to end the moribund State Of Emergency (SOE) when it is scrapped. I, for one, do not have confidence and trust in the messages coming from government. It has promised many reforms but to no avail.

ADAM MFUNDISI* | 10 September 2021

Shining bright: Renewable energy accounts for 80% of government’s power plans till 2040

Botswana’s Earth, Wind and Fire strategy for energy

From the current capacity of just six megawatts, government technocrats and their partners in the private sector, want more than a third of the country’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2036. The target is based on an “Earth, Wind and Fire” approach which Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI explains

Mbongeni Mguni | 10 September 2021

Happily ever after: The number of marriages rose to five year highs in 2020

Marriages hit 5-yr high as COVID-19 provides ‘discount weddings’

While COVID-19 and its protocols wreaked havoc on nearly all aspects of society and its norms, the requirement for smaller gatherings has helped more couples cut the cost of getting married. Recent figures from Statistics Botswana show that more than 6,500 couples tied the knot last year, the highest in five years. Mmegi Correspondent, NNASARETHA KGAMANYANE writes

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | 10 September 2021

Rain forecast boosts farmers’ optimism

Mmegi Photojournalist, PHATSIMO KAPENG, took to the fields of several communal lands in Greater Gaborone this week, finding that the forecast of strong rainfall has lifted farmers’ confidence about the upcoming season. Many, however, are unaware that this season is the last for the current version of the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD)

Phatsimo Kapeng | 10 September 2021

Helping hand: Since 2008, billions of pula have been spent under ISPAAD providing inputs to subsistence farmers PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

Gov’t unveils tighter ISPAAD support

The Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security anticipates rolling out the new output-based Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agricultural Development (ISPAAD) during the 2022-2023 cropping season, BusinessWeek has established.

Pauline Dikuelo | 10 September 2021

Good old days: For artists, nightclubs were a major source of income

Death of the dancefloor: Point of no return for nightclubs

While other businesses in the economy have reopened since the COVID-19 restrictions last year, nightclubs have remained closed since March 21, 2020. Nightclubs have become a forgotten sector comprising nearly 40 businesses and about 1,700 direct jobs. Club owners and managers say even if restrictions are lifted tomorrow, most of the businesses will be gone. Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI writes

Mbongeni Mguni | 03 September 2021

Lazarus moment: Both Selebi Phikwe and Lobatse are witnessing revival

A tale of two towns: Phikwe and Lobatse fight to live

One suffered the closure of its economic backbone, BCL Mine, while the other has suffered relocations of key institutions, closure of a major employer and the disadvantages of living in the shadow of Gaborone. From the doom and gloom, however, both towns are now reporting higher optimism for their futures, Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI notes

Mbongeni Mguni | 27 August 2021

Haves, have nots: The gap between the poor and rich continues to widen

Inequality: The unwanted side-effect of a changing economy

From the dominance of agriculture at Independence to the mining boom and the more recent emergence of the services sector as a driver of growth, the transformation of the economy has brought with it rising inequality. In fact, a recent UNDP study estimates that any two people chosen at random in the country would have a difference of at least P6,500 in their monthly consumption. Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI explains

Mbongeni Mguni | 13 August 2021

The struggle for bodily integrity

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | 09 August 2021

Cecil, Scarface, Sekoti: Does giving animals ‘human faces’ help or harm?

Mbongeni Mguni | 02 August 2021

Staying on the straight and narrow

Mqondisi Dube | 26 July 2021

Khoemacau optimistic as production kicks off

Pauline Dikuelo | 26 July 2021

A familiar face raises its hand as economy looks for revival

Mbongeni Mguni | 26 July 2021

Inside the plan to balance the budget in two years

Mbongeni Mguni,Pauline Dikuelo | 22 July 2021

Top athlete faces betting probe

One of the country's top athletes might face the wrath of World Athletics' (WA) Integrity Unit over allegations of involvement in sports betting, which contravenes the rules of the game.

Mokgethi Out Of Time

The granddaughter of the late Abdul Joseph, Dawn Masenya says she is still discussing with her attorney on the way forward since the Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Annah Mokgethi has failed to honour a court order.

SADC forces seize terrorists’ training base in Moz

SADC soldiers have captured a training camp used by insurgents in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, rescuing three elderly women and seizing weapons as well as a vast cache of military training books, communication devices and videos.

Bakang loses bid to regain assets, P82m

Troubled entrepreneur, Bakang Seretse has lost his multi-million pula assets and P82m to the state after the Gaborone High Court ruled that the properties were proceeds of crime.

Connecting dots: Mphoeng believes the middle-class’ apathy is to blame for some of the country’s troubles

Middle-class to blame for Covid mess

One day…. not today… one day… you my friends reading this have to acknowledge how you yourself failed this country. You see, we the 'middle class' are the main reasons for Botswana’s stagnation and regression in the past 20 years.

Seretse resurfaces as UB Chancellor

The former National Coordinator of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) 2019 election campaign, Ambassador Tebelelo Mazile Seretse has been appointed as the Chancellor of the University of Botswana ((UB).

The people’s deferred, shattered dreams

The people’s dreams, hopes and aspirations of a better and prosperous future under President Mokgweetsi Masisi have been either deferred or shattered. All trust is gone.

A Call For Government To Save Jobs

The minister further shared that from the 320 businesses that notified the Commissioner of Labour about their plans to retrench, 20 were acceded to, which resulted in 204 workers being retrenched during April 2020 and July 2021.The retrenchments were carried out while the SoE was in place, meaning the companies that succeeded must have had solid reasons, despite the strict SOE regulations imposed on businesses to not retrench. We are left with...

The Monitor Editor | 20 September 2021

Features

Explore

More