03 Mar 2020

Participants at the monthly Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) flea market day in Ramotswa have hailed the initiative as rewarding.

This they expressed during random interviews at a flea market day in Ramotswa recently.

A regular participant, Ms Tiny Segereisi of PonyBond Fashions said she started attending two years ago, to lure clients to her fashion design business which had just started operating.

She said her business which she started with her own funds was going through tough times but her contact with LEA turned things around and her customer base increased.

Her persistence paid off when the youth ministry agreed to fund her through the Youth Development Fund (YDF) and is now in the process of upgrading her equipment.

“I am currently awaiting the arrival of my new machines which I believe will improve the quality of my products and enable me to be more competitive,” said Ms Segereisi, a Limkokwing University of Creative Technology graduate.

She said the funding was a huge leap for her business which had been operating with one machine.

The development she said would allow her to hire more hands.

Another participant, Mr Keoagile Molatlhwa of Fire Magics Investments, said the business he co-owned with Mr Tembo Mothei gained recognition after participating in the flea market.

The business deals with supply, servicing and refilling of fire extinguishers, installation of fire alarms, supply of signage and fire blankets among others.

Although competition is stiff, Mr Molatlhwa remains optimistic. 

He was saddened by the fact that most retail outlets and institutions in Ramotswa preferred to source the service in Gaborone, yet they offered the same. 

He however, appreciated taxi operators’ support.

Ms Tebogo Moepi, a nursery owner also appreciated the flea market for bringing in more customers. She said on a good month, she made enough to feed her family through attending the flea market.

Her business she said was started from own savings.

Other than selling, the flea market is a place where the likes of Ms Moepi and Mr Molatlhwa draw inspiration from those funded through government empowerment programmes.

The markets are meant to give exposure to SMME’s products and services. Ends