mmegi

De Beers ‘dribbles’ BURS in tax saga

De Beers PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
De Beers PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

A study commissioned by the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) alleges that diamond mining giant, De Beers, has been paying far less than its fair share of tax to the Botswana government by using a variety of “accounting tricks”. Mmegi Staffer SHARON MATHALA reports on an audit covering the years 2013-20 which reportedly show a P4 billion tax debt to Batswana

In 2021, a report from the Auditor-General (AG) raised alarm that some mining companies could be short-changing Batswana and the Botswana government by providing incorrect reports on their production and sales, which in turn would affect the amounts they pay government in royalties, taxes and other dues.

Mineral revenues are government’s most important source of funding and account for one third of budget incomes.

Editor's Comment
Human rights are sacred

It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...

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