19 Aug 2026

Botswana’s Employment and Labour Relations Act of 2025 will come into effect on Sept 1, 2026, the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Major General Pius Mokgware, told Parliament on Tuesday. The Act consolidates previously fragmented labour laws into a single comprehensive framework.

Presenting a statement, Major General Mokgware said the ministry, in consultation with social partners Business Botswana and trade unions, had agreed on the commencement date. Regulations to facilitate implementation were being finalised.

He described the Act as integral to Botswana’s domestic and international obligation to reform employment and labour laws, and as a culmination of collective efforts by employers, workers and government to comply with International Labour Organisation standards. 

According to the minister, the Act brought Botswana into conformity with International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise. 

It also provides for fundamental employment rights and international labour standards, and establishes a National Social Dialogue Structure and the Employment Labour Relations Council. However, he said the Act has 33 parts, which inter alia covered the following; Part II of the act provided for protection against child labour by amongst others, prohibiting persons from employing children who are under the age of 15 years and with restriction allowed persons to employ children who are 15 years and above. He said Part II also prohibited persons from permitting children from performing hazardous work, employment underground and working at night. 

In Part III, he said the Act provided for the protection of fundamental rights of the workers by prohibiting forced labour and as a deterrent measure, the part also imposed a penalty on persons who forced workers to perform work. 

Minister Mokgware said the Act in Part IV protected the fundamental rights of workers by providing measures to promote equality in the workplace and prevented any form of discrimination, violence and harassment in the workplace while Part V protected fundamental rights of workers to freedom of association.  Maj Gen Mokgware also highlighted Part XII of the Act regulated general matters relating to trade unions, federations of trade unions and employers’ organisations, which included the requirements for registration of trade unions, federations of trade unions and employers’ organisations amongst other things.

Maj. Gen.  Mokgware noted with concern a rise in retrenchments, which the ministry views as an attempt by some employers to avoid changes brought by the Act.

“I therefore call upon employers who do not genuinely undertake this exercise to think twice about the future of the workers and do the most desirable thing to benefit them and the workers,” he said.

The ministry has started public awareness through social media and other platforms to explain the Act. Meetings will also be held across the country and with district leadership through full council meetings. ENDS