“Drivers are usually beaten and then held in nearby bush.” – Transist
The rise comes despite decreasing global prices of the mineral and ahead of a 2027 export ban.
The president has issued a directive for a review of all charges to enforce legal compliance.
Global shifts, including increased United States tariffs on Chinese goods, are forcing supply chains to pivot in unpredictable ways.
Cotton production rose 2% in 2024 but market forces pulled prices down.
Economists caution that mitigating measures are unlikely to compensate for immediate losses.
Products must currently be certified by authorised bodies before arriving in the country.
The workers at UCW in Nigel – a local manufacturer with proven capacity – were the primary victims, Saftu said in a statement following the arrests.
With this latest addition, the company now operates three key facilities across Botswana: in Gaborone, Francistown and Palapye.
Ten aircraft will be leased from Azorra, boosting capacity and cutting fuel use by 29%.
The falling market and sliding prices have already taken a toll, with GDP contracting by 3% in the last financial year.
"Many West African countries are still in the early stages of developing modern transport and logistics infrastructure." – Martin Schulze.
