Phikwe business community sends SOS

The chamber of commerce for Selibe Phikwe region demands that government, through its financial institutions, should avail the region P500million loan to incentivise projects in the area.

This is contained in a document outlining recommendations that were shared with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Investment and Trade Industry, Peggy Serame in a recent meeting. The Chamber urges that CEDA should relax security for loans and must allocate five additional officers to the Phikwe branch to proactively engage potential investors and to assist them in the successful completion of their funding applications. CEDA is also urged to undertake to either approve or reject an application within two (2) weeks of submission, and undertake to commence drawdown of the funds within seven (7) days of the approval for a successful application.

The business chamber also calls on the government investment agency, BITC, to assign an officer to Selebi Phikwe and place him at the SPEDU offices with immediate effect.“That officer must avail to the public the full list of potential investors who are looking to partner with Batswana to invest in Selebi Phikwe. That officer must assist with licensing, physical planning labour and immigration departments to facilitate the “ease of doing business” in Selebi Phikwe.

The Chamber wants all Phikwe based companies to be given a 25 percent price advantage on all government, parastatal and local government tenders. Further, it demands that, “All the BDC owned properties in Selebi Phikwe that are zoned for industrial activity, (must) offer a standardized rental of P3/sq m. As soon as this industrial space becomes fully occupied, BDC should be mandated to buy or build more industrial space and to subsequently lease out at P3/sq m. Including SPEDU plots. This should be for manufacturing companies.

“SPEDU land bank needs to be fast tracked and provide a budget for SPEDU owned factory shells. Consider transferring the BDC shells to SPEDU. This will speed up the SPEDU investor facilitation. 100 new businesses are needed and each business will employ 25 people to breath fresh life into the Selebi Phikwe economy,” reads the document.

Last month a task team comprising ministry of investment, trade and industry and Botswana investment and trade centre officials was formed. The task team, headed by Peggy Serame- is to deliver a strategy on re-organisation of Phikwe town. It will also present the framework to the business community before they finalise it.

Trade Minister, Vincent Seretse could not be reached for comment, whereas his Assistant Biggie Butale indicated that he was not aware of the recommendations by the Phikwe business community. He even referred this publication back to the Minister as he is the one handling the Selibe Phikwe related matters. The PS’s personal assistant (PA) indicated that the PS was held up in meetings but would call back to answer to the inquiries. At the time of going to press, Serame could still not be reached. 

BITC Chief Executive Officer, Letsebe Sejoe whose organisation also forms part of the task team, said progress has been made with regards to developing the Phikwe strategy; but referred this publication back to Serame who chairs the task team for the details of the strategy.