30 Jul 2025

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Noah Salakae, has outlined key initiatives aimed at revitalising transport sector. 

Answering a question in Parliament, Mr Salakae highlighted ongoing reviews of several legislation, including the Air Botswana Act, Civil Aviation Act, Botswana Railways Act, and the Public Roads Act. 

These reviews, he said  aimed to create an efficient and modern framework for the country’s aviation, rail, and road transportation.

The minister said there were  plans to reintroduce passenger train services through Botswana Railways. 

“The ministry, through Botswana Railways, intends to re-establish passenger train services,” Mr Salakae said. 

He explained that the railway company had identified and shortlisted three private partners through an Expression of Interest (EOI) process, which would operate the services.

Furthermore, Mr Salakae revealed that a comprehensive concept paper was currently being developed, which would outline the operational model for passenger train services. 

The minister also touched on the potential viability of daily rail services between Francistown and Lobatse. 

On the other hand, he noted that the reintroduction of the daily morning and afternoon commuter trains between Lobatse-Gaborone and Pilane-Gaborone would be determined after the completion of the above mentioned process.

Mr Salakae indicated that the estimated costs and time frames of implementation could only be drawn after selection of an appropriate business model.

He was responding to a question from Selebi Phikwe MP, Mr Kgoberego Nkawana who had asked the minister to state whether there were any plans to develop and transform the transport sector and specifically give updates when he intended to reintroduce public daily rail trains between Francistown and Lobatse.

Mr Nkawana also wanted the minister to state when he intended to reintroduce daily morning and afternoon commuter trains between Lobatse-Gaborone and Pilane-Gaborone, including the costs and timeframes of implementation. ENDS