09 Sep 2026

The rhythmic beat of drums, traditional dances and the rich aroma of Tswana cuisine filled the Kang Main Kgotla recently as the Bashaga community celebrated its heritage.

But beneath the colourful display of culture was a pointed message: Botswana must return to its traditional values if it is to strengthen its economy and restore the appeal of its natural diamonds. 

Speaking at the second annual Swaabe Cultural Day, held under the theme: Sustainable Livelihood and Effective Governance, Debswana Diamond Company, Chief Operations Officer, Koolatotse Koolatotse called on the nation to revive the principles that had traditionally bounded communities together. He said, the Swaabe Cultural Day provided a practical expression of the heritage he was urging Batswana to reclaim, with traditional choirs, dance, food and game meat bringing generations together at the Kang Main Kgotla.

Koolatotse said the event was particularly timely as Debswana prepared to launch its own cultural initiative.

As part of its support for the community’s efforts to preserve and promote its heritage, Debswana donated P100 000 to the Swaabe Cultural Festival.

“We love you as Debswana and so we want you to continue with this spirit of reviving our culture,” he said.

He said Botswana’s economic challenges should not be attributed solely to declining diamond sales or the change of government, arguing that the erosion of culture, traditions and customs was also contributing to the country’s difficulties.

“Diamonds are not selling, but we still rely on them,” he said. Koolatotse said Botswana had gradually lost some of the values that once defined its communities, particularly love, respect, unity and truthfulness. Our economy is down due to the fact that we have lost our culture. We have lost love for each other. We gossip about each other and defame each other,” he said.

He warned that unless such behaviour was addressed, efforts to improve livelihoods would remain difficult. Koolatotse therefore underscored the need for the nation to “go back to the crossroads” and rediscover the values embedded in Tswana culture, saying they had played an important role in holding the nation together.

He argued that cultural renewal could also strengthen Botswana’s economic prospects, particularly its position in the global natural diamond market.

According to Koolatotse, Botswana was selling more than diamonds to international consumers through selling the nation’s story and values behind those diamonds.

“At Debswana, these are the values that we uphold,” he said, referring to love, respect, unity and truthfulness.

He said international consumers increasingly wanted assurance that the diamonds they purchased were responsibly sourced and were not associated with conflict or the mistreatment of communities.

“Through selling the diamonds, we are selling our culture,” he said. His remarks come at a challenging time for Botswana’s diamond-dependent economy, with the global natural diamond industry facing weaker demand and growing competition from laboratory-grown diamonds.

Koolatotse said the origin and ethical production of natural diamonds could therefore be important in maintaining their appeal to consumers.

He stressed that buyers wanted to know whether communities where diamonds were mined were being treated well, making social responsibility and good governance important components of Botswana’s diamond story.

The cultural revival he advocated, he said, should therefore not be confined to annual celebrations. It should be reflected in how Batswana treat one another, conduct business and contribute to their communities.

He also linked cultural values to the fight against poverty and hunger, saying difficult economic conditions could pressure people into abandoning their principles.

“For this hunger to disappear, we should feed ourselves,” he said, calling for greater self-reliance and stronger community cooperation.

For her part, Kgosi Basadi Seipone III of Kang, thanked Debswana for the financial support, saying the contribution would strengthen their efforts to preserve and promote their cultural heritage.

She wished the company success as it engages international clients, expressing hope that more doors would open for Botswana’s diamonds in overseas markets.

“We wish Debswana the very best and hope that more diamonds will be sold so that the lives of Batswana can continue to improve,” she said. Kgosi Seipone said the community had embarked on the cultural initiative without a budget, making Debswana’s support particularly significant.

She described the assistance as a blessing, saying the community had “met an angel” through the company’s intervention.

She said culture had a unique ability to bring people together, fostering unity, love and a shared sense of identity.

“For this, we will forever be indebted to Debswana,” she said. ends