Air Botswana has procured a new Embraer ERJ170, and has resumed direct Gaborone-Cape Town flights. The flights operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

The airline suspended the flights in February, after the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) grounded CemAir flights due to CemAir’s alleged failure to submit credible proof of compliance to SACAA.

Minister of Transport and Communications, Kitso Mokaila, said that previously the Cape Town-Gaborone route was operated by Air Botswana through a lease and codeshare agreement with CemAir. Mokaila said the agreement had since expired and Air Botswana had not renewed it.

The new jet joins recently acquired ATR72-600s in updating the carrier’s fleet in a bid to render it more financially self-sustaining, and therefore more attractive to would-be investors.