15 Oct 2018

Local bottled water entrepreneurs have refuted recent claims that there is a shortage of the commodity in the market, insisting that major retailers are to blame for not sourcing goods from them.

Speaking during a briefing with Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo in Gaborone on October 14 the small-scale water industry players said they were shocked by the recent claim from Business Botswana to the effect that the country was experiencing a shortage of bottled water.

Mr Kumbulani Munamati, who has been operating a water bottling business since 2012, told the minister that the problem was due to the fact that although Batswana producers had good quality products, they were not taken seriously by major retailers thereby creating an artificial crisis.

“Since we started operation we have opened stores at Rail Park, Riverwalk, Phakalane and BBS Mall as well as at Molepolole in addition to our factory in Gaborone.  We have 50 000 litres stored at any time. We are able to have sufficient supply, but since the big players in the supermarket industry do not take domestic entrepreneurs seriously, we lack sufficient market access,” Mr Munamati said.

Another entrepreneur, Mr Brandon Sadi buttressed the argument, saying major retailers either preffered having their own branded bottled water or importing from South Africa, shortchanging the local producer.

“We knock on retailers’ doors, but we always meet a stumbling block. They often ask for paperwork, which is a cumbersome process and even after we produce such we are still told to wait,” Mr Sadi said. 

He said they were capable and that the Botswana Bureau of Standards had certified their products.  

He said his company produced 1 500 litres per hour with a storage of 10 000 litres. 

He added that they had stores in Phakalane and Molapo in Gaborone as well as a warehouse in Mogoditshane.

Ms Kenewendo promised the local producers that her ministry would take heed of their plight and work towards ensuring market access for their products.

“Our job as a ministry is to ensure that the right statutory instruments and the regulatory framework is in place.  

We want to assist domestic producers who generate income and jobs locally, and we are already engaging with retailers to address the issue of market access,” Ms Kenewendo said.  

She pleaded for patience and restraint as the parties worked together for an amicable solution.

She further clarified that there had been no ban on the importation of bottled water, but rather that there had been restrictions put in place. 

She said government was confident that local producers could meet most of the local market demands. 

She also said she had been worried by reports of a crisis of bottled water supply, and dismissed such claims as unfounded.

Ms Kenewendo promised further consultations with all concerned parties, and also urged retailers and suppliers to go as far as visiting each other’s business operations to familiarise themselves with standards in order to come up with an amicable solution to the current impasse. ENDS