28 Jun 2020

Botswana is in negotiations with Southern African Customs Union (SACU) member states to accelerate trade and improve cross border movement of commodities.

Speaking during the Vice President’s visit to Kanye on Friday, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Peggy Serame, said Botswana was doing everything in its power to ensure that essential commodities and services found their way into the country.

She spoke of the need to have a mutual consensus on challenges of conveying commodities and services within the SACU region in the era of COVID 19.  

Ms Serame said Botswana reduced some import tariffs in some commodities as a way of facilitating the fast-tracking of such essential services.

On other issues, she said businesses were closed during a period of extreme social distancing, thus depriving owners rights to provide for their families and consumers the right to be spoiled for choice.

She also called on Batswana to embrace locally manufactured products.

For his part Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development, Mr Mmusi Kgafela, praised Batswana for heeding the President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s message and deprived themselves some rights during the lockdown period to fight the invisible enemy.

He said comparatively, Botswana’s indicators or rather statistics were low, thus pointing out that the scourge was managed well.

He expressed gratitude that there was no issue under litigation between government and construction companies emanating from lockdown.

Mr Kgafela said some projects might not be delivered on time due to the pandemic and therefore pleaded with the public to pardon him for any delay that could arise.

Mr Kgafela decried fronting saying it led to a tender being awarded to unscrupulous people, thus denying a deserving Motswana an opportunity.

He said they would apply the rescission method, which was the cancellation of a contract from its beginning and ensuring that all parties returned to the position they were in before it was signed hence the move would assist in channeling the money into the hands of Batswana.

Mr Kgafela also spoke of defects liability period as a tool that they would use to improve performance.

The defects liability security was kept to cover any repairs or defects found in a structure.

If a defect was detected during the defects liability period, the contractor would be given an opportunity to repair.

Therefore, if the contractor was unable or unwilling to repair the defect, the purchaser would the right to use the funds retained for such purposes.

He said his ministry was working round the clock to deliver projects on time. ENDS