20 Aug 2015

Small Micro Medium Enterprises (SMME’s) need to try their luck on tenders, says the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nata/Gweta, Mr Polson Majaga.

The MP was responding to a complaint by Ms Akanyang Chidoda at a kgotla meeting in Mosetse recently. 

Ms Chidoda had complained that tenders were awarded to the same business people. 

She said upon inquiring, they were informed that they had failed to meet requirements of the tenders. 

She explained that as a small business person, she does not have many of the things required such as tax clearance and PPADB certificates.

Ms Chidoda also noted that offices where she could get such certificates were either based in Gaborone or Francistown, and that they had never taken their services to the people so that people could know about them. 

She said such issues disadvantaged many Batswana who were small business owners and want to benefit from government tenders.

Furthermore, she said even those who were dealing with tenders at the council never want to give them full information on what was expected of them to tender. She noted that they came and purchased tender documents at their offices.

“This is unfair to us as we also want to enjoy the benefits that come with government tenders instead of just a few,” she said.

In response, Mr Majaga said he would advise the adjudication board to come to the people and share information on the processes of tendering.

He said tenders were meant to benefit all Batswana, adding that  with the government pushing for local empowerment, there should be information on the requirements of every programme and initiative which Batswana were taking part in. 

On other issues, residents of Mosetse decried the water shortage in their village. 

Shortage of water, they said, affects not only the well-being of the people, but also affects developments in the village.

Kgosi Opelo Ntshwarelang of Mosetse earlier appealed to residents to apply for government boreholes outside the village so that their livestock could have water from them instead of sharing the little water given to the people in the village. 

He further implored residents to move their livestock to the cattle posts instead of having them roaming the village. 

“Livestock everywhere makes our village to look untidy and as such let us relocate them to the cattle posts,” he said. Ends