21 Jan 2026

The Judiciary is preparing a major overhaul aimed at im-proving efficiency and addressing the growing backlog of cases.
Chief Justice Gaolapelwe Ketlogetswe said the proposed reforms would streamline the legal system and allow magistrates to preside over a wider range of cases.
He was addressing a press briefing in Gaborone on Tuesday, two weeks ahead of the official opening of the new legal year.
He said a detailed proposal outlining the reforms was expected to be submitted in the second quar-ter of the year.
Justice Ketlogetswe noted that the backlog disproportionately affected vulnerable groups, citing delays in child maintenance cases that negatively impacted children’s welfare, as well as stock theft cases, which had broader economic implications.
On the handling of criminal matters by the High Court, he warned that prolonged proceedings posed serious risks, particularly with regard to human rights, and called for the establishment of specialised courts to address such cases more efficiently.
He also emphasised the need to expedite divorce cases to minimise conflict between divorcing cou-ples.
The Chief Justice further announced that a commercial court would be established in February to fast-track cases that currently hindered business operations.
Despite financial constraints, he said the High Court had managed to attain its ideal complement of 30 judges, which he described as a significant achievement for the administration of justice.
However, he acknowledged that limited funding had contributed to poor record-keeping, resulting in delays in processing appeals.
He added that measures were being taken to reduce the backlog.
He said the continued malfunctioning of the digital records system remained a challenge, but the Botswana University of Information Science and Technology had been engaged to develop a local-ly managed system.
If funding allowed, Justice Ketlogetswe said there was a need to construct a court in Kgalagadi to serve the wider region and reduce the need for litigants to travel as far as Lobatse for court ser-vices.
In his closing remarks, Maun High Court Division President, Justice Godfrey Nthomiwa, stressed the importance of transparency and public engagement.
He said reducing case turnaround times was critical, noting that courts dealt with sensitive matters such as inheritance, property rights and human rights, which required timely resolution to avoid delays in development. ENDS