The Postal Services is probably one of the oldest public services in Botswana, having been established in 1875 by the London Missionary Society. In those days, pairs of ¡°runners¡± carried mail between various points on a stretch from Bulawayo up to Mafikeng. Historical records indicate that these runners (men on foot) carried up to 15542 postal items of mail per annum. Subsequently, the post used the train and road transport contractors to deliver mail until the late 1990s when the Post acquired its own fleet of delivery vehicles and continued to expand the mail delivery network.

The Post evolved over the years into the Bechuanaland Protectorate Postal Services. At independence it was transformed into the Department of Posts and Telegraphs with 121 Post Offices and 43 Postal Agencies. The portfolio of services also included the Post Office Savings Bank. At this time the Post was at the centre of communication, with the letter perhaps being the fastest mode of communication after the telephone, which was however only accessible to the privileged few. The Post was also at the centre of commerce, as most purchases were mail order sources mainly from the Republic of South Africa.