21 Feb 2018

There are 37 businesses funded in Kanye South under the Women Economic Empowerment Programme, says Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu.

Mr Batshu told Parliament on February 19 that those businesses benefited a total of 112 individuals and were funded at a total of over P6 million.

He said the types of business vared in nature and included livestock, construction related, services, retail, textile and leather.

Minister Batshu said it was important to note that beneficiaries of the programme were considered employees of the funded businesses, hence in that respect six jobs were created following the funding of two businesses in Tsonyane and Sesung which comprised of three members each.

He stated that there were no jobs created in Lehoko, Seherelela, Betesankwe and Selokolela villages since there were no proposals submitted from those villages.

The difficulties encountered by beneficiaries, he said included travelling long distances to access services at administration centres being Moshupa, Kanye and Jwaneng, where Gender Affairs department offices are located.

He said other challenges especially in the specified areas included limited business opportunities resulting in applicants opting for the same type of business especially livestock.

As implementers of the programme, he said, his ministry faced operational challenges such as limited resources which affected effective delivery of the programme as well as lack of commitment by beneficiaries, poor business acumen and misuse of funds.

Further, Minister Batshu stated that inadequate financial provision for the programme remained a challenge and they would continue to canvas for more funding.

This was said in response to a question from Kanye South MP, Mr Abram Kesupile who had asked the minister to state the number of beneficiaries under the Women Economic Empowerment Programme and the level of funding and what they produced.

The legislators also wanted to know the total number of jobs created in Lehoko, Tsonyane, Seherelela, Betesankwe, Sesung and Selokolela and also the difficulties they encountered by the beneficiaries and those encountered by the advisors on the programme. ENDS