Former Justice Minister Shamukuni’s company claims it lawfully purchased the NG13 concession, but the authorities halted hunting licences, citing ongoing disputes with another company
GAZETTE REPORTER
Former Minister of Justice Ronald Machana Shamukuni is embroiled in a high-stakes legal battle with the government over a multimillion-pula hunting quota in the Okavango Delta.
At the heart of the dispute is Controlled Hunting Area NG13, a prime concession under Botswana’s Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) policy. The area, known for its rich wildlife, has become a flashpoint between Shamukuni’s company, DK Superior (Pty) Ltd, and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP).
Shamukuni is challenging a directive issued by the Director of Wildlife and National Parks, which prohibits the issuance of hunting licences in NG13. He claims the directive is unlawful and contradicts a recent Court of Appeal ruling that interdicted the Tcheku Community Development Trust from issuing hunting licenses until it resolves a dispute with Old Man’s Pan (Pty) Ltd.
SOLE SHAREHOLDER
Court documents filed at the High Court in Maun show that Shamukuni, as managing director and sole shareholder of DK Superior, alleges that the DWNP acted beyond its powers when it halted hunting operations. His company had legally purchased the NG13 quota from the Tcheku Trust for the 2025 hunting season.
In an affidavit before Justice Bugalo Maripe, Shamukuni stated that DK Superior acquired the quota in July 2025 after the Trust received the necessary permit from the wildlife department. He reportedly transferred P1.5 million to the Trust as part of the payment for the quota, which the Trust was allowed to sell under government-approved community empowerment initiatives.
REFUSAL TO ISSUE LICENCES
Shamukuni said he was taken aback on 4 September 2025, when officers in Gumare refused to issue hunting licences, citing a directive from the wildlife director banning all hunting in NG13. He claims the order was communicated informally via WhatsApp, and no formal court interdict had been served on his company.
“The decision was arbitrary and unlawful,” reads Shamukuni’s affidavit. “The applicant, as a bona fide purchaser for value, cannot be deprived of the use of its property without due process.”
OPPOSITION
The Attorney General’s Chambers, representing the government and the Director of Wildlife, has opposed the application, describing it as “an abuse of court process.” In a responding affidavit, Director Moemi Raeshemane Batshabang stated that the decision to halt hunting in NG13 was guided by an August 2025 Court of Appeal ruling placing the area under an interim interdict due to an ongoing dispute between the Tcheku Trust and Old Man’s Pan (Pty) Ltd.
“The judgment of the Appeals Court meant that there should be no hunting in NG13 pending arbitration,” Batshabang said. “The Second Respondent had to comply and stop issuing hunting licences lest I be held in contempt.”