19 Mar 2025

The adjudication process for all transport permits applications will commence in April following appointment of the Transport Advisory Board in February 2025.

This was said by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Noah Salakae when responding to a parliamentary question yesterday. He said that new transport permit applications were suspended during the State of Emergency following the outbreak of COVID-19. Mr Salakae said the suspension was for the smooth implementation of COVID-19 health protocols, but the lifting of the suspension was effected on June 2024.

He highlighted that they had received about 19 392 applications, which were still awaiting adjudication for various permit issuance across all the stations in the country.The minister added that out of the 19 392 applications, 780 were new applications received from Selebi-Phikwe and neighbouring villages.

“Therefore, no applications received so far, have been approved or rejected since the adjudication has not commenced,” he explained.

On other issues, he said on December 2024, a total of 40 667 transport permits were issued countrywide, and 25 907 were for Botswana Operations Annual (goods permits), while 14 760 were for passengers permits.

He said with specific reference to Selebi-Phikwe and neighbouring villages, a total of 548 Botswana Operations Annual goods were issued whereas a total of 741 passenger permits were issued too.

Mr Salakae said they had issued a total of 8 472 drivers licenses for Selebi-Phikwe and were issued since January 2023 to date.Selebi-Phikwe East, legislator, Mr Kgoberego Nkawana had asked the minister to state the number of public road transport permits issued as well as  the number of drivers’ licenses issued in Selebi-Phikwe in the last two years. He further asked how many applications were rejected and reasons for rejection if there are any. ENDS