The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word THEBE
T
H
E
B
E
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Botswanan coughs it up" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case botswanan coughs it up = thebe.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does THEBE mean?
THEBE noun- A subdivision of currency, equal to one hundredth of a Botswanan pula.