12 Aug 2018

Although the Serowe District Show committee cannot determine in monetary terms the impact and the ripple effects of their show to  businesses, show committee chairperson, Mr Keletso Rakhudu is upbeat that many businesses have benefitted from the show.

Speaking during the official opening of the show on August 9, Mr Rakhudu said even without figures to gauge the extend of cash inflow into the host village, observation showed that businesses in Serowe benefitted. 

The show committee chairperson said despite the unavailability of  a comprehensable  study,  the committee was  confident that there was some significant cash influx into the village. 

“Many hotels and lodges in Serowe,” Mr Rakhudu said, “were fully booked as a result of the show.” That, he said, was an indirect monetary gain to the hospitality industry. To supplement his claim, Mr Rakhudu alleged that upon closure of the show the hospitality and tourism sector would revert to their bearish state. 

Not only is the hospitality and tourism sector the only beneficiary, Mr Rakhudu found that the public transport sector also benefited by way of transport provision to the show revelers. He based his argument on the fact that ordinarily the road to the show ground is hardly used by taxi operators, but that taxis were a constant sight during the show.

The chairperson also talked about show tourism, saying there were youths who loved attending district shows. He said these were the people who boasted local economies by way of booking in hotels, purchasing food and beverages from locals. 

The informal sector, which was based outside the show ground perimeter fence, was also cited amongst the beneficiaries of the show. Mr Rakhudu said by close of business on Sunday, informal sector businesses which thronged the show ground relocated to their usual trading areas, which showed the importance of the show to local businesses. 

On other issues pertinent to the show, Mr Rakhudu said his committee was hard at work to refine agriculture in the district. He said if commercialised agriculture could yield enough food and satisfy food security in the country and thereby cutting on the import bill. 

Mr Rakhudu opined that agriculture was pivotal to job creation and that if taken seriously government would struggle to find employees since agriculture would have engaged all the available workers. 

Speaking at the show, chief executive officer of Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA), Mr Thabo Thamane reaffirmed his agency’s commitment towards agriculture. 

He invited the show committee to his office so that they could find ways of renewing their marriage following the expiry of their three year sponsorship secured in 2014. However, CEDA has continued as the main sponsor this year. 

Mr Thamane also appreciated the input of other stakeholders such as Debswana, saying their gestures were clear statements of intent towards growing the show. 

He said by injecting capital into the agriculture sector was not a show of a moneyed agency, but meant to send a message that agriculture was an indispensable sector. 

The CEDA CEO said ever since their inception they have injected around P860 million into agriculture nationwide. “In the Central District, CEDA has invested P330 million,” he said. 

He cited the Setlalekgosi twin brothers, Thebe and Thapelo as living proof that the youth could play a meaningful role in agriculture. The twins, Mr Thamane said, have started through struggles and vanquished.

In a separate interview, Mr Thapelo Setlalekgosi challenged Serowe youth to venture into cattle breeding. Ends