Botswana’s hike of old age pensions hasn’t fixed the problem of who cares for the elderly – new study

Caregivers in Botswana are being asked to do more with less.

By: Elena Moore, University of Cape Town; Dolly Mogomotsi Ntseane, University of Botswana; Gwen Lesetedi, University of Botswana; Vayda Megannon, University of Cape Town, and Zeenat Samodien, University of Cape Town, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 27, 2026

Words: 1,315

Last Updated: 1 week, 5 days ago

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By Elena Moore, University of Cape Town; Dolly Mogomotsi Ntseane, University of Botswana; Gwen Lesetedi, University of Botswana; Vayda Megannon, University of Cape Town, and Zeenat Samodien, University of Cape Town

The government of Botswana in southern Africa dramatically increased the universal old age pension for all citizens aged 65 and above from P830 (about US$63) to P1,400 (about US$106) per month in 2025. Headlines celebrated the near 70% rise in value. For many older …

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