31 Jan 2017

Francistown, just like other modern towns and cities is blessed with convenience shops .

There are also tuckshops that are found in certain locations in this second city, such as Monarch and Selepa as well as the Blocks 1-10, which are built in one place commonly known as “Ko dimausung” in these areas.

As helpful as these tuck-shops are to the residents, they have however become an eyesore as some have been abandoned and worse still, lack of ablution facilities, running water and litter makes them a sorry sight.

In efforts to establish how those operating in these areas cope, BOPA interviewed Ms Rebecca Phillimon in Block 1, who has been operating her tuckshop for 14 years now.

She confirmed that indeed there were no toilets in their area of business and instead used toilets found in their Ikageleng Customary Court where they pay an amount of P1 whenever they use it and also pay P30 for water bills each month end for using the stand pipe.

Ms Phillimon said even though there are two toilets, at the time of the interview, they were currently using one toilet as the other was malfunctional.

She explained that unavailability of toilets and water at their business premises was a challenge as they sometimes had to go and ask for toilets in the neighbouring homes, who often refuse to help.

Furthermore, she said sometimes they had to close their tuckshops when nature calls because sometimes when they leave their tuckshops open, customers tend to help themselves and leave without paying.

Ms Gaakgathe Nkhwa, who also has been operating her tuckshop in Block one for the past 20 years, complained that their businesses are no longer profitable as before because of the saturated market.

She explained that nowadays, goods were available to their customers as there are people who are engaged in door to door trade.

Ms Nkhwa said they have lost customers due to the neighbouring abandoned tuckshops that are aneyesore and caused some of the customers to believe that they are selling food that is not healthy.

Another tuckshop operator, Mr Tadubana Gubudu who has been operating his tuckshop for 12 years in Block seven complained that abandoned tuckshops lure thieves in their business area.

He explained that with thieves lurking around their business areas, this limits their operating hours because of the dangers it may pose to them and their customers.

Mr Gubudu said these made them not to make enough money as they could have with extended trading hours. He pointed out that most of these abandoned tuckshops,

which are littered with all sorts of dirt such as, dead pets and human waste are not healthy for their customers because of unhygienic environment they pose, even though the Francistown City Council  helped with removing waste.

Attempts to get comments from FCC through its public relations office proved futile as they are currently going through an audit of all available open spaces in the city, which includes where the tuckshops are accommodated. BOPA