09 Apr 2025

Kgokgontsho, a gripping documentary series that sheds light on the harsh realities of gender-based violence (GBV) in Botswana, made its debut on Botswana Television (BTV) recently.

The real-life motion picture, produced by African Tale Media and sponsored by First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) aims to drive national awareness and action against GBV.

Speaking at the exclusive screening held at Masa New Capitol Cinemas in Gaborone recently, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs, Bridget John emphasised the critical role the creative sector played in shaping societal norms and surfacing issues often obscured by statistics.

She highlighted the persistent and complex nature of GBV, saying there was need for continued innovation in tackling the societal scourge.

“Today, we witness the activation of the Kgokgontsho GBV docu-series, which stands as a testament that GBV is everyone’s concern. Our youth are affected by it, and they are rising to the challenge by using their God-given talent to combat it,” said John.

She further noted that government efforts alone were insufficient, underscoring the importance of partnerships such as that between FNBB, African Tale Media and BTV. 

John also revealed that the government was working closely with non-governmental organisations and civil society through programmes focused on both the prevention of and response to GBV. However, she acknowledged that a major challenge remained was lack of funding.

“I therefore call upon corporate entities to support our non-profit organisations that are dedicated to addressing social ills like GBV,” she urged.

She also mentioned that the Botswana Police Service had introduced a gender and child-friendly branch, along with a GBV toll-free hotline.

In addition, she said preparations were underway for the establishment of a one-stop service centre that would offer medical assistance, counselling and shelter to survivors.

Sharing his desires in an interview, Screenwriter and co-producer of the series, Tumo Moremedi, expressed his hope that the series would inspire Batswana to take decisive action against GBV. 

His objective, he said, was to make it clear that GBV was a nationwide problem.

“We’ve always thought of Botswana as a safe country, and when someone suggests otherwise, we tend to think, you must be talking about South Africa. Through this documentary, she said Batswana would watch stories that reveal the reality of our own country,” said Moremedi.

She noted that Botswana has some of the highest reported rape incidents in the region. Among the biggest challenges he faced while working on the project was how to convey a message, as a man, about the perpetration of violence by other men, particularly at a time when the #MeToo movement was at its peak. 

He admitted that financial constraints persisted, especially as the team embarked on a new documentary project focused on Botswana’s history.

“We want to create something that uplifts Batswana’s spirits. Many are unaware that our country is deeply connected to the world. We aim to produce a genealogical documentary that illuminates how people can trace their family histories using Botswana as a starting point,” he explained. 

With one episode down, Kgokgontsho will continue to air every Sunday at 8.30pm on Btv for 12 more weeks. ENDS