10 Nov 2017

Member of Parliament for Letlhakane, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe has called on the youth in Letlhakane to partner with other businesses when encountering challenges in doing business.

Mr Lelatisitswe said this during a kgotla meeting with the youth in Letlhakane recently, stating that it would be a learning curve on their part.

He said they should do that as a benchmarking strategy that they could apply in future when starting their businesses.

He also encouraged the youth to penetrate the business market and compete with other companies for tenders.

Mr Lelatisitswe also informed them that volunteering was key in marketing businesses, advising artists to offer their services in some events and to treat that as a marketing strategy.

He said well known artists were in most cases engaged in events as crowd pullers, and that it was for them to fill the void and nurture a career in the music industry, saying they should remain hopeful to win tenders.

He regretted that some companies registered as owned by the youth were led and operated by elderly people, adding that it frustrated government’s efforts to empower the youth.

The MP explained that government had a minimum wage and that companies made decisions on salaries of employees based on that.

He also stated that there was a pool of skills for companies in the mining industry since the closure of the Selebi Phikwe mine.

Mr Lelatisitswe also stated that a multi-purpose sports complex worth P43 million has been planned for Letlhakane, and that it would be funded by Karowe mine. He added that construction would commence next year.

He noted that a plot has already been identified near Motsumi Junior Secondary School.

The MP also said minimal land servicing would be undertaken at Letsibogo ward to cater for public officers’ houses which had been constructed through Botswana Housing Corporation but lacked water and electricity services.

Letlhakane Police Station, he said, was also to commence construction.

The MP was responding to one of the youths, Mr Bagogi Galeimelwe who had suggested that the youth should be given priority to supply materials and services for projects undertaken in Letlhakane.

Mr Galeimelwe expressed concern that large companies were given preference when awarding tenders as opposed to small-medium enterprises.

Mr Gorongwang Leboe complained about low salaries offered by some companies.

While Mr Bagomotsi Pule complained that the unemployment rate was escalating in Letlhakane, saying there was lack of transparency in some companies as they conducted interviews as early as 5am. ENDS