02 Apr 2025

Southern Africa’s premier airline, Airlink, yesterday launched its direct Cape Town- Gaborone route with the first flight arriving in Gaborone on the launch day operated by a modern Embraer 140 regional jet aircraft. 

The new route currently operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 10:50 departure time from Cape Town, arriving in Gaborone at 1pm, while the take off from Gaborone is 1:45pm and arriving in Cape Town at 4pm on the scheduled days. Airlink direct route launch is seen as a commitment to harness the economic potential within the SADC region through strategic partnerships and shared scope of regional integration.

Officiating at the launch, the Assistant Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Keoagile Atamelang said Botswana and South Africa shared the vision of developing a modern, efficient aviation networks to enable trade, foster industrialisation, create jobs and improve livelihoods of the two nations. Mr Atamelang said Airlink’s investment was not just in aviation, but an investment in the future of Botswana, South Africa as well as the entire SADC region.

“This new route will present an opportunity to increase connectivity, increase airlift and enhance tourism between Botswana and South Africa,” Mr Atamelang said.

The two governments, he said, recognised that sustainable infrastructure was fundamental to economic growth as it unlocked potential markets for goods and services between the two member states in the region and beyond. 

High Commissioner of South Africa to Botswana Ms Thaninga Shope-Soumah said the new route was a further strengthening of the ever-improving bilateral relations between the two countries. She said the route would also provide increased connectivity between Botswana and South Africa, being one of the three important developments recently to improve connectivity between these countries.

“Discussions are underway to either redesign or improve the Grobler Brug/Martins Drift border post, which is an important development with the increased traffic through the border post especially towards Zambia and beyond,” said Ms Shope-Soumah. 

Ms Shope-Soumah added that the other element of development regarding connectivity of Botswana and South Africa was the Mmamabula/Lephalale rail link, which would transport Botswana’s minerals from Mmamabula to Richards Bay.

“We attended a successful investor’s conference recently and we are eagerly waiting progress on the project. We understand that certain legislation needs to be adjusted on Botswana’s side and all parties involved are committed to execute the project as soon as possible,” Ms Shope-Soumah said.

She also said the developments were important milestones in the development and integration of the SADC region. 

For his part, Chief Executive Officer of Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB), Dr Bao Mosinyi said the launch was about sustainability of the airline and needed to be successful.

“Airlines collapse and when they do, they collapse spectacularly, and if that was to happen to Airlink the entire region will go dark because no one connects us than Airlink as a continent,” he said. 

Dr Mosinyi said Botswana learned from the success of the Cape Town air success, and launched Botswana air access last year to increase connectivity in Botswana.

“We believe there will be more flights and in a few months we will make great progress,” he said.

Dr Mosinyi also mentioned that there were plans for South African Airways (SAA) to get back to Botswana skies.

“We hope to be here again in a few weeks or months to welcome South African Airways back into Botswana, and I know South African Airways is making plans,” Dr Mosinyi said. 

Lorraine Omar, Airlink Africa’s sales manager, said the introduction of the route was a testament to the importance of collaboration in advancing aviation, tourism, business and trade. She said this service connected two increasingly important regional hubs for business and leisure tourism and commerce. 

“We look forward to seeing the positive impacts this route will bring for Botswana’s growing economy, including its steadily growing tourism sector. By all accounts, Botswana is on track to be worth about P5.445 billion, by 2028. This is off the back of forecast 2.8 per cent annual growth rate for the sector in Botswana. We trust that Airlink’s connectivity will help to fuel this expansion and deliver broad economic benefits to the country,” she said. ENDS