Andre Klynsmith

Public Transport

P10 a Trip and 0.41 Thebe a Kilometre: Botswana's Fare Schedule Survives Court Challenge

Botswana's public transport fares are now fixed by government gazette after the High Court dismissed a challenge brought by the Botswana Bus Operators Association, ruling that government acted within its powers. Shared taxi trips are set at P10 per passenger, special taxi at P36, minibus local transport at P9, with long-distance travel priced per kilometre by road surface.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

8 September 2026 • 4 min read

Few SADC governments set passenger transport prices by gazette and then defend the figure in court. Botswana has now done both -- and the pricing structure it defended tells operators exactly how the state thinks about road surface, distance and cost recovery.

What the court decided

The dispute followed government's reversal of a previously announced fare increase. The Botswana Bus Operators Association brought an urgent application challenging that reversal. The Gaborone High Court dismissed the application with costs, finding that government had acted within its powers, and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure subsequently confirmed that the fare adjustment published in Government Gazette Notice No. 309 of 2026 stands.

The ministry and the Botswana Transport Association have since issued a joint statement committing to continued dialogue, describing negotiations as marked by mutual respect and aimed at improving service delivery and sustainability for both operators and the travelling public. Both parties thanked commuters for their patience while the engagements continue.

The road-surface differential is the interesting part

Long-distance fares are set at 0.38 thebe per kilometre on bitumen and 0.41 thebe per kilometre on gravel or sandy roads -- a differential of roughly 8% for unsealed surfaces. That is a rare instance of a regulator explicitly pricing road condition into a tariff, acknowledging that unsealed running costs more in tyres, suspension, fuel and time.

Freight operators who quote across Botswana's western and northern districts should note the reference point. Whether 8% covers the real cost gap is arguable, but a gazetted differential gives a defensible starting figure in a commercial negotiation where a customer disputes a surcharge for unsealed routes.

Regulated fares meet unregulated input costs

The structural tension in any gazetted fare regime is that revenue is fixed by decree while fuel, parts, tyres and insurance move with global markets and exchange rates. When those inputs rise faster than the gazette is revised, operators absorb the gap -- which typically shows up as deferred maintenance, older fleets and reduced service on thin routes long before it shows up as a court case.

That is why the commitment to ongoing dialogue matters more than the ruling itself. The court settled who has the authority to set the number. It did not settle whether the number is sustainable, and that question returns every time input costs move.

About the Author
	Andre Klynsmith Entrepreneur & Technology Enthusiast Andre's expertise spans technology, blockchain, transport, and logistics -- with a passion for innovation and driving positive change across industries. info@laaimylorrie.com | laaimylorrie.com