The miracle country

Botswana celebrates its 50-year rise to good fortune

In 1964 the British government accepted one of the more daring proposals from an African nation when representatives of the Bechuanaland Protectorate travelled to the UK to seek independence from their colonial masters.

Eventually, with reluctance, the proposal was accepted and Botswana celebrated its independence on 30 September 1966 and ceased to be called the Bechuanaland Protectorate.

Decades later, one of the nation’s founding fathers, Sir Ketumile Masire, second president of the Republic of Botswana, described the independence proposal as having been “very brave or very foolish”. Sir Ketumile, who took over in 1980 after the sad death of the first president, Sir Seretse Khama, summed it up that way when he used the phrase as the title of his memoirs, ‘Very Brave or Very Foolish? Memoirs of an African Democrat’.

In the book, which was published in 2006 at the time of Botswana’s 40th anniversary, Sir Ketumile used a cartoon from the British magazine ‘Punch’ dating from 3 August 1966 to illustrate what some people thought about the handing over of independence to Botswana. The cartoon shows a malnourished and sickly child being left by a British general in a small, dry patch of land with lions and snakes lurking and ready to devour the defenceless child. The cartoonist depicted the British as being heartless and unsympathetic to leave such a vulnerable child in the middle of nowhere.

In 1965, a year before Botswana gained its independence, it was one of the world’s poorest nations. It had no tarred roads and no health or education facilities and 70 per cent of the country was covered by desert without oil or any other minerals. That is why it was deemed ‘very brave or very foolish’ for this group of Africans to be presenting a proposal to be left alone to govern themselves.

History

In the 1960s black people in southern Africa were still a source of free labour. They dug gold in Gauteng mines, built railways to Rhodesia and express roads in Johannesburg for white people. In Botswana, black men and women decided to build the country from scratch. In 1966, when the Union Jack was lowered and the Botswana flag was raised, the country had fewer than 10 km of tarred road.

Fifty years later, however, the small child has grown to be the most admired in the whole continent of African. The lurking lions that were about to have it for lunch are now the country’s main tourist attraction and one of its largest sources of revenue.

Botswana has been called ‘a model of democracy’ because of its stability and consistent  record of uninterrupted and peaceful elections.

The country has never suffered political unrest despite being a front-line state during political turmoil in the region.

Natural resources

Botswana has successfully avoided the African scourge of ‘resource curse’. The diamonds that were miraculously discovered after independence have been used efficiently for development, bringing benefits to the whole nation – in contrast with other places in Africa where such natural resources have led to conflict.

From being one of the world’s poorest nations – with a GDP per capita of about US$ 70 per year in the late 1960s – Botswana has transformed itself into one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The nation has enjoyed a sustained economic growth, mainly from minerals and tourism. Today, as it gears up for its 50th anniversary of independence, Botswana can boast a GDP per capita of US$ 18,825 per year.

In September, with 2 million Batswana shouting the national motto, ‘Pula’ (‘Let there be rain’), there are many reasons for this miracle country to celebrate.

‘Pride of Botswana’ is waiting to be explored

Those who get a thrill out of 4x4 driving and extreme encounters with nature should make the trip to Kubu Island on the Makgadikgadi Pan. To reach the granite rock ‘island’ one must traverse a typical eastern Kalahari landscape along undulating dunes.  

The 12,000 sq km pan is the largest salt complex in the world, covering an area the size of Israel. Baobab trees are a distinctive feature of this vast area, but do not expect much more than the natural earth beneath your feet, because this is a sacred site to the indigenous people. It’s just you and the wilderness.

Biodiversity

When it comes to biodiversity, each of Botswana’s four main regions – central, northern, eastern and southern – has something unique for visitors to see and enjoy. There are numerous daily flights between the country’s four domestic airports and air fares are affordable thanks to low air ticket taxes and airport charges. Many resorts have private airstrips, too. 

There is a focus on conservation and ecotourism with the aim of encouraging a responsible approach to tourism and sustainability. Botswana aims for quality and high standards rather than quantity in its tourism. This forward-thinking nation has embraced environmentally friendly initiatives to conserve and recycle rain water and to make use of solar power. 

Cultural villages

The cultural villages, especially in north-eastern Botswana near Kasane, give tourists an opportunity to experience the history, lifestyle, culture and heritage of the indigenous people through storytelling, music and dance. This is Africa’s ‘four corners’ region, where only a 100 metre border separates Botswana, Namibia’s Caprivi Strip, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Kasane in the north has become synonymous with Chobe National Park. Luxurious houseboats make their way up and down the Chobe River and river safaris delight visitors, who can watch elephants drink, bathe and play along the banks. The park is home to the continent’s largest population of elephant.

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is in south-western Botswana, along the Namibian border and straddling the Botswana-South Africa border. Gemsbok National Park is on the Botswana side, while Kalahari Gemsbok National Park is on the South Africa side following an agreement in 1948. The park prides itself on its sightings of predatory cats such as lion, leopard and cheetah. 

All budgets

Botswana caters for all budget types and travellers, from a family camping expedition to a sleep-out atop a fully equipped bundu-bashing safari bus; but it is also highly regarded as an upmarket safari destinations, especially with its five-star lodges.

The Okavango Delta, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, is a magnet for wildlife photographers. Air safaris in the region, and indeed across the country, are increasingly popular, providing visitors with a bird’s-eye view of the wildlife trekking across the landscape below. 

Botswana has more to offer than merely its pristine natural wonders; it is also rich in history and culture. To the east of the delta, sharply rising out of the Kalahari, are the Tsodilo Hills, one of the oldest historical sites in the world and the only Unesco world heritage site in Botswana. The mystical rock face and nearby sites are covered with some 4,000 rock paintings and have also yielded numerous artefacts. As the sun hurries towards the horizon, the hills are illuminated in shades of ochre.

National monument

In the eastern region, south of the country’s second-largest city, Francistown, is old Palapye. This national monument is another archaeological and historical site. Dating back to the Middle Stone Age, it was also home to European missionaries in the 19th century. The relics of both settlements stand today. Moremi Gorge, only a short drive away, is a ‘must’ for adventure seekers, who will not be disappointed by the canyon’s waterfalls and river bends. The region and its sites have received funding for further infrastructure and tourism development to cope with the growing number of visitors. 

Botswana surely lives up to its national slogan: ‘Our country, our pride’.

KAZA offers tourism without borders

Working alongside sister organisations in neighbouring states, Botswana is the headquarters of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). As the area’s name suggests, this is the meeting place of two great river basins: the Kavango; and the Zambezi, which rises in Angola before flowing 2,574 km to the Indian Ocean.

It’s a testament to Botswana’s regional leadership in the field of conservation that Kasane was chosen as the base for this important transnational organisation – one that brings together five nations whose borders converge in a comparatively small corner of Africa: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Covering a truly amazing 519,912 sq km (an area about the size of Thailand or larger than Germany and Austria combined), KAZA TFCA was established on the 18th August 2011 by a treaty, with the aim of conserving the shared natural resources of its five member states.

The organisation is also charged with promoting and developing the linked network of conversation areas across its five member states and, where possible, restoring traditional dispersal corridors and wildlife migratory routes.

World-class

At the same time, KAZA TFCA is developing the transnational area into a single world-class tourism destination and working to promote easy border crossings for tourists – something that will reduce visa costs for visitors.

KAZA TFCA’s remit is not just one of wildlife conservation, however; it also aims to ensure the sustainable use of national resources and to improve the lives of local communities through a range of initiatives to reduce poverty. 

Finally, KAZA TFCA will be looking at how best to harmonise conservation legislation and natural resource management policies across all five nations.

Transfrontier

Botswana accounts for about 30% of the total land area of the transfrontier area, with Zambia making up 25%, Angola 17% and Namibia and Zimbabwe each contributing about 14%.

The KAZA TFCA is an integrated land-use area comprising Protected Areas (National Parks and Forest Reserves), Conversation Areas (Game-Management areas/Wildlife Management Areas) and Communal Areas, which will gradually expand and link these areas to form one giant wilderness area containing three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Victoria Falls, Tsodilo Hills and Okavango Delta.

KAZA TFCA already has the world’s largest population of elephant; it is also home to significant numbers of other animals, including buffalo, rhino, hippo, lion, cheetah, African wild dog, sitatunga and lechwe. All in all, there are some 200 animal species and up to 650 bird species.

Sheer scale

In many ways, KAZA TFCA is beyond comprehension such is the sheer scale of the park. It marks yet another step in Botswana’s efforts to forge close links with its neighbours to ensure that wildlife – which, after all, knows no borders – is conserved for future generations.

A diamond in the rough no more

The ever-growing capital city of Gaborone is a gleaming jewel – and it has all the carats to prove it.

Botswana, the world’s largest diamond producer, by volume. With its economy based on the mining sector, the diamond industry alone contributes up to 33% to the Gross Domestic Product, Botswana has been one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies and greatest success stories in recent years. 

The major diamond producer, De Beers, relocated its sales and marketing functions from London to Gaborone in November 2013. Investors and business people flock to Botswana, not only because it is the least corrupt country in Africa (according to the Global Corruption Index) but also because Forbes has rated it the continent’s fourth-best place to do business. 

When it comes to tourism, Botswana’s natural beauty, stable economy and thriving business sector have made it the third most visited country in Africa. In 2010 it welcomed more tourists, 2,145,079 (Department of Tourism statistics), than the number of its citizens – a fact that speaks volumes about its desirability as both a holiday and investment destination.

Proximity

Gaborone, in south-east Botswana, was strategically chosen as the capital city for its proximity to South Africa as well as its already established railway lines and infrastructure. The city’s most visited tourist attraction is the Three Dikgosi Monument, a tribute to Botswana’s early beginnings. The bronze sculpture pays tribute to its three founding chiefs: Khama II, Sebele I and Bathoen.

No city in Botswana can illustrate the development of infrastructure better than Gaborone. The capital may have been established only in the 1960s, but today it is dotted with the silhouettes of tower cranes, development sites and skyscrapers. 

Infrastructure is one of the biggest drivers of the tourism sector, the advances can be seen from rooftop venues such as the Sky Lounge. This exclusive membership-only venue provides panoramic views from the 19th floor of the iTowers building, currently the city’s tallest. A twin tower is under construction. The metropolis below is testament to the city’s expansion and the determination of the Batswana people.

Batswana are genuinely warm people; one can hear their sincerity as they wish one another ‘Dumela’ (‘Good day’) wherever they go. They work hard, but play just as hard. The Masa Centre is proof of that. This impressive 46,000 square metre entertainment complex, with restaurants, hotel and spa, leaves nothing to be desired. It also houses the country’s first 3D cinema. The rooftop Absolut Bar is an ideal place to bid farewell to another day. 

Variety

Shoppers will find plenty of variety among Gaborone’s four modern shopping malls and other outlets, whether they’re looking for African curios, designer clothes or groceries. The oldest is Main Mall, in the bustling heart of the capital, where you can buy just about anything. Nearby is Government Enclave, home to government ministries and the South African Development Community headquarters.

But Gabs, as the locals affectionately refer to it, is more than just concrete. The city is nestled between the Kgale and Oodi hills. The ‘Sleeping Giant’, as Kgale Hill is known, is popular with hikers, and the resident baboons make the one-hour walk that much more thrilling. The hilltop is the city’s natural observation deck, standing 1,287 metres above sea level. It also maps out the city’s rapid urban expansion.

Yacht club

The Yacht Club, on the edge of Gaborone Dam, is a local watering hole, especially popular at sundown and caters for sailing, canoeing and rowing. It is open to members and guests. It organises a number of social events every year, the biggest of which is the annual raft race.

A few kilometres from the central business district is Mokolodi Nature Reserve, which offers a close encounter with Africa’s Big Five and the bush. Giraffe and rhino tracking is a sought-after experience that is perfect for those ‘Kodak’ moments.

Gaborone has much to be proud of, the country has been selected to host the 2nd African Youth Games was held in May 2014. Gaborone is the host to this international 10 day competition, with 54 countries and 2,500 young atheletes participating in 21 sports at 11 venues, including the national stadium. It is the biggest multi-sport event in the country’s history and gives Gaborone an opportunity to stand out among the continent’s brightest stars.