25 Mar 2020

Members of the public have been warned that unscrupulous businesses are likely to take advantage of COVID-19 related challenges to hike prices.

  Investment, trade and industry minister Ms Peggy Serame said demand for sanitisers, soap, face masks,  disinfectants and other essential commodities had soared since the outbreak of the virus  with some dealers taking advantage of bulk and impulsive buying. 

Commenting at a Ntlo ya Dikgosi meeting on March 24, Ms Serame said predatory pricing was highly possible and therefore warned consumers against being “robbed”.  

She urged the business community to stay truthful and desist from robbing innocent people through predatory pricing. 

Dikgosi, who were being briefed on the COVID-19 response, heard that the ministry planned to engage other stakeholders such as the police to sniff out any negative dealings. She appealed to dikgosi to assist in curbing alcohol abuse and drinking sprees to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

“We are appealing for your support and advice,” she said.

Ms Serame said it had been observed that some alcohol dealers were violating the restrictions.

 Police were therefore working tirelessly to prevent alcohol drinkers from gathering illegally thereby risking possible spread of the virus, she said. 

She condemned as risky the  common practice at depots and shebeens where patrons bought and shared alcohol.

Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe pointed out that alcohol abuse had the potential to frustrate coronavirus fighting efforts.

“I trust dikgosi have the power to assist in the fight,” he said. 

Ntlo ya Dikgosi chairman, Kgosi Puso noted that selling and consumption of alcohol at shebeens and depots had been a challenge for traditional leaders even before the outbreak of COVD-19. 

He said especially problematic  was the impact of home brewed alcohol on health as some harmful products were used in making the concoctions. 

“As dikgosi, we are the custodian of culture, including regulation of home brewed alcohol and therefore, I propose that we must consent and allow for the closure of shebeens until the coronavirus crisis is over, said Kgosi Gaborone. ends