15 Jul 2015

There have been initiatives to build capacity in the leather industry in Botswana, including the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) training 46 clients in their leather incubator since April 2010.

The Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Sadique Kebonang told Parliament that the LEA training was not specific to the leather park project in Lobatse.

“It should be noted that there used to be tanneries in Lobatse and Pilane which were subsequently closed down leaving a pool of people who are knowledgeable in leather products and processing.

Further, during the leather park study the issue of capacity building to provide the necessary skills to work in the leather park was highlighted as being critical to support the leather industry,” he said.

Going forward, Mr Kebonang said government was putting in place capacity building initiatives to ensure relevant and adequate skills for the leather park and the industry in general. “The LEA leather industries incubator has been remodeled to offer short courses on leather design, cutting, stitching, lasting and finishing on a continuous basis, whilst at the same time training leather products producers within the incubator,” he said.

He further said ministry of Education and Skills Development in collaboration with LEA had committed to the development of leather skills in Botswana through the proposed conversion of the Lobatse Brigade into a Leather School of Excellence.

Also, Mr Kebonang said LEA, in collaboration with retired industry experts from Germany who would be arriving at the end of July 2015, would be capacitating both LEA employees and clients in leather production.Ngami MP, Mr Thato Kwerepe had asked the minister to state the number of students trained to take up jobs created at the leather park in Lobatse, and if none, what his ministry would do to get the project started. ENDS