15 Apr 2026

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure has acknowledged that the abolishment of bank-guaranteed cheques by the Bank of Botswana in December 2023 has disrupted the auctioning process. 

Responding to a parliamentary question on Monday, Minister Noah Salakae noted that the Government Fleet Management (GFM) had previously used them to collect deposits, which were a prerequisite for participating in an auction. Minister Salakae said GFM had explored alternative payment methods, including a Bank of Botswana deposit account, which resulted in refund delays. 

As a result, he said, GFM requested approval for a non-refundable deposit of P200, which was granted and implemented during the September-October 2025 auction sale. Furthermore, he dismissed the notion that only 10 per cent of boarded vehicles were auctioned as untrue, stating that GFM auctioned all vehicles that had been boarded and approved for sale. 

He added that 1 403 vehicles were approved for sale during the last auction. He explained that private auctioneers were engaged because of their expertise in maximising final sale prices, often securing values higher than market rates, which in turn generated more revenue for government. 

Moreover, he said engaging external auctioneers was cost-effective, as using internal staff or personnel from other departments incurred additional costs such as subsistence, travel and overtime allowances. 

He further cited a high risk of corruption between staff and bidders as an additional concern. 

He said conducting countrywide auctions in a single day would require more auctioneers and would reduce participation and competition, thereby affecting revenue generated. He added that the current staggered schedule was also intended to provide opportunities for individuals who may not have secured any lots in previous auctions. 

Member of Parliament for Mogoditshane West, Mr Galenawabo Lekau, had asked the minister to state why GMF auctioned vehicles once a year compared to three times per annum as they did in former years. Mr Lekau also asked why only 10 per cent of the boarded vehicles were auctioned. 

He further asked for clarity why private auctioneers were used instead of internal personnel or those from other departments and state what made it difficult to carry out a countrywide auction in a single day. ENDS