# Roofing in Botswana

> Botswana's Tswana houses have conical thatched roofs on clay-plastered walls with verandahs; modern homes use iron sheet, asbestos and concrete tiles.

- URL: https://roof.wiki/roofing-in-botswana/
- Topic: Roofing Around the World
- Also known as: Tswana roofing; Botswanan roofing
- Regions: Africa
- First published: 2026-11-02 · Last reviewed: 2026-11-02
- Cite as: "Roofing in Botswana." roof.wiki. https://roof.wiki/roofing-in-botswana/

## Key facts

- **Traditional form:** Round mud-walled house with conical thatch and verandah
- **Traditional materials:** Grass thatch, poles, clay and dung plaster
- **Census roof categories:** Concrete/tiles, asbestos, iron/zinc/tin, thatch (1991)
- **Climate driver:** Semi-arid, summer storms

Botswana is a dry, largely flat country dominated by the Kalahari. Its traditional houses belong to the Tswana building tradition: houses with clay-plastered walls, a conical thatched roof and often a verandah carried on posts. Modern housing uses sheet metal, asbestos-cement and concrete tiles.

## Climate and hazards

The climate is semi-arid with hot summers, when most rain falls in storms.

## Roofing history

Census questionnaires since at least 1991 have recorded the roof material of each dwelling under concrete, slabs, blocks or tiles; asbestos; iron, zinc or tin; thatch; and other, showing that these were already the main materials by the late 20th century.

## Traditional and vernacular roofs

The architectural historian Franco Frescura recorded a detailed Setswana building vocabulary:

- **Roof**: *moteko* is the thatched roof covering, *setlhowa* the apex of a conical roof, *maribele* the eaves overhang, *tlhomeso* a timber rafter and *palelo* a batten.
- **Structure**: *mophako* is a roof timber spanning between verandah posts and acting as a ring beam; *lomapo* a dowel at a beam end that seats it on the ring beam; *pinagare* a centre post carrying the thatcher's weight, normally cut away after the roof is finished but kept in many larger houses.
- **Walls and verandah**: *lobota* is the perimeter wall, plastered with clay and dung (*gobatega*); *mokatako* a small raised verandah or verandah seat; *lotwana* a post supporting the verandah or eaves.

These terms are Setswana and apply across the Tswana-speaking area of Botswana and South Africa.

## Roofing today

Census categories (iron, zinc or tin; asbestos; concrete tiles; thatch) indicate the range of materials in use.

## Local roofing terms

- *moteko*: thatched roof covering.
- *setlhowa*: apex of a conical roof.
- *maribele*: eaves.
- *pinagare*: temporary centre post used in thatching.
- *gobatega*: clay and dung wall plaster.

## Sources and gaps

Detailed archaeological evidence for early roofs: published information is limited. No roof-specific heritage listings were identified.

Recent census roof shares (2011, 2022), Kalahari San shelter forms and information on Botswana building regulations and manufacturers: published information is limited.

## Sources

1. Glossary - Tswana terms — Franco Frescura / South African History Online. https://francofrescura.sahistory.org.za/glossary/glossary-tswana-terms/
2. Glossary - M — Franco Frescura / South African History Online. https://francofrescura.sahistory.org.za/glossary/glossary-m/
3. Botswana 1991 Population and Housing Census (IPUMS subset): Material used for construction of the roof — World Bank Microdata Library. https://microdata.worldbank.org/catalog/6825/variable/BW1991A_ROOF