22 Aug 2016

Thebe Savings and Credit Cooperative members have been urged to follow their mission and vision in order to remain focused.

Chief cooperatives auditor in banking and research in the department of cooperative development, Ms Kopano Mukono, said this during the cooperative’s second annual general meeting in Molepolole on August 19.

Ms Mukono advised members to know and understand the co-op`s operational regulations, as that would portray a good image and as a result lure more members.

She further advised them to remain resilient to challenges and loyal on paying their loans because defaulting could hamper the capital base of the cooperative, hence denying others a chance to get loans.

The cooperative leadership should not hesitate to approach the department of cooperatives if they want any form of facilitation regarding cooperative operations, she added.

For her part, the chairperson of Thebe Savings and Credit Cooperative, Ms Ata Sakaio encouraged youth to join cooperatives because unemployment rate was high, adding that it would also help them learn the ropes and prepare them for taking over when the current leadership retires.

Ms Sakaio revealed that since its inception in 2012, the cooperative had only 50 members and the number had increased to 459, with 296 women, 67 men and 70 youth. She revealed that the cooperative was gradually growing despite minor challenges they faced of people defaulting to pay back the loans. Ms Sakaio noted that as a remedial measure, they had deployed a sheriff to collect the debts.

Meanwhile, Sakaio said they grew from operating in a homestead and through a grant of P230 000 from Gender Affairs department they bought and developed their new head office. She said they have plans to approach Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) for funds to expand their cooperative.

Guest speaker at the event, Member of Parliament for Molepolole South, Dr Tlamelo Mmatli commended Thebe Savings members, saying were partaking in economic diversification of the country and also in line with the values of democracy, practicing self-reliance thereby avoiding dependency syndrome.

Dr Mmatli urged Thebe Savings leadership to ensure they nurture other members, tasking them in committees, to help them gain experience and instill leadership and financial management skills in them. Ends