03 Mar 2026

The revision of user fees for services across the environmental sector forms part of the government’s broader strategy to strengthen revenue mobilisation while ensuring affordability and sustainability.

This was said by Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi during a stakeholders consultative meeting in Gaborone recently.

Mr Mmolotsi said the country was experiencing severe economic contraction, largely due to declining diamond revenues, making the strengthening of revenue systems within the environmental and other sectors an urgent national priority.

He explained that the proposed increases were necessitated by outdated fee structures, some of which had not been adjusted for many years.

“Waste management licence fees for waste carriers and waste facility operators have remained unchanged since their introduction in 2000,” he said.

He added that the proposed increases were intended to generate additional revenue to cover operational costs, finance conservation initiatives and enhance the ministry’s monitoring and enforcement capacity.

To ensure the proposed fees remain relevant and sustainable, the minister suggested the formation of a joint task force comprising members from both the private sector and the ministry. 

The task force, he said would guide the finalisation of the new fee structure to ensure the ministry thrived and contributed meaningfully to economic diversification, job creation and national development. 

Furthermore, Mr Mmolotsi said the objective of the consultative meeting was to reach a consensus that would benefit both government and the business community.

“It is the government’s quest to deliver efficient and quality services to our stakeholders and to play our role in facilitating and promoting growth in both the environment and tourism sectors,” he said.

A service provider, Mr Ernest Mokete, said the proposed implementation date of April 1 was too soon.

He noted that most businesses had already finalised their annual budgets at the beginning of the year, and the sudden adjustment would create financial strain as it had not been factored in.

Mr Jeff Khwarai said the ministry needed to ensure efficient and effective service delivery to justify the revised fees. ENDS