07 Aug 2014

Kgosi Rebagamang Rancholo of Nata village has urged government to simplify the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) application forms in order to accommodate those that are not fully literate but have an interest in setting up businesses. 

Speaking at CEDA’s open day held at Nata kgotla recently Kgosi Rancholo said that many people are willing to have their own businesses but however, the major setback is the complexity of the application forms.

He added that despite numerous complaints from the public regarding the forms, it seems there has not been any improvement to address the people’s worries and this has resulted in many giving up on their desires of opening businesses. 

In addition, Kgosi Rancholo raised concern that the tax charged by Botswana Revenue Services (BURS) was too high and that it also contributed to the failure of some businesses, as they fail to pay up the required tax. 

He further complained that high electricity charges also added to the failure of businesses, as purchasing P100 worth of power makes one end up with electricity units to the value of only P70.

“Such a huge difference makes negative impact on small businesses, hence they end up closing down,” he said. 

He nonetheless said despite the challenges, people of Nata should lead the way and set up businesses in their village.

Kgosi Rancholo said outsiders should also join them, since for Nata to be transformed into a sub-district, there should be businesses flourishing in the area. 

Meanwhile, the CEDA regional director-North, Mr Samuel Moribame pointed out that Batswana should rather make use of their offices instead of relying on second hand information from those that either failed to complete the forms on their own instead of coming to their offices for help. 

He said it was for this reason that they realised the importance of organizing open days where they meet and engage, as well as sensitise their stakeholders about their mandate as an agency that aims to assist small medium enterprises to set up and or grow.. 

Mr Moribame also stated that even after assisting the entrepreneur to set up, they have a fostering period with such a person in order to help them take off from the ground.

For his part, the MP for Nata/Gweta constituency, Mr Rayner Makosha said Batswana should not see paying tax as something aimed at punishing them or even reducing their profit sales, but rather as something which government earns revenue through in order to continue funding and improving infrastructure.

“Money from tax is one which the government uses to develop the country and let us not defer from paying tax and seeing BURS as our enemies,” he said.

He further urged Batswana to help the government diversify the economy by opening businesses which will help reduce the high rates of unemployment. ENDS