27 Sep 2015

Government’s decision to empower small businesses through purchasing their products has proved to be a blessing for Gabane Pottery.

According to Sophie Monareng, who is one of the magic hands behind the clay works at Gabane Pottery, said government rescued the pottery’s sinking boat.

“Government ministries buy from us in bulk. Some of the items they buy, they use for decorations while some are used to serve food and drinks,” said Monareng.

She said  they had 500 orders and government ministries led the pack. She further stated that the government’s decision was timely as the pottery was on the verge of collapse due to lack of market.

“Before the government became our main buyer, we had no market, therefore our business was on the verge of shutting down but ever since the different ministries started buying from us we have seen growth in profit,” she said.

Gabane pottery deals with moulding clay products such as cups, kettles, dolls, lamp decorations and plates. “We use clay mixed with waste from Lobatse bricks to make our products,” explained Monareng.

She further noted that the pottery was a village project, which dated to 1985 when it first originated and was the brainchild of Orita Fanchuren who later left and is now under the leadership of Martin Kabwe.

Monareng lamented that even though they were grateful of having secured a viable market from the government, the general buying behaviour from customers was seasonal.

“There are different times when the business is high and low. The first three months of the year, January, February and March normally the business is low, but from April until December we normally witness high number of clients,” explained Monareng.

Although Gabane Pottery has so far penetrated the market to as far as Maun where hotels buy lamp decorations and other artworks from them, Monareng was worried about the lack of support from other Batswana.

She lamented that it was a mammoth task for a Motswana to buy although they were quick to shower them with praises over the appealing pottery designs.

“Mostly white people were the ones who also support us as they buy from us in large numbers. The same is still not yet the case with our fellow Batswana as they always praise our hard work but reluctant to pop out cash and buy from us,”  she said. ENDS