27 Jul 2020

Steel Fabrication businesses operating in Gaborone have been urged to obey city rules and respect other people’s property.

In an interview, Gaborone City Council (GCC) public relations officer, Ms Segametsi Kebonang said some people continued to carry out industrial activities on road reserves or area spaces adjacent to residential properties.

She stated that such activities do not give a good image to first timer entrants into the country’s capital city, and it also compromises the outlook of the city. 

She pointed out that such businesses were supposed to operate from zones allocated for their activities.

She said material used by fabricators could harm road users, therefore the reason for such activities being catered for at industrial sites. 

She mentioned that doing industrial work in areas not stipulated for such came out as a nuisance, as it generated noise, air pollution and smell from painting of metal fabrics.

She said such activities also posed danger of causing fires,  thus dangerous to neighbouring homesteads and to passers by. 

She called on all the businesses (welders/fabricators) operating in zones they are not supposed to, to desist from doing that.

Ms Kebonang pointed out that certain businesses such as steel fabrication had been solely reserved for Batswana as per the new Trade Act, which came into effect on June 1, 2020. 

She stated that GCC continued to discover that there were some non-locals who continued to unlawfully operate such businesses.

She therefore advised those operating unlawfully to desist from that, saying such called for action and penalties as per the bye-laws.

She encouraged businesses or those looking to get into business to visit GCC commercial department offices to be informed on the type of businesses they could be licensed for, to ensure that they operate within the parameters of the law.

“Operating outside the parameters of the law will leave GCC with no option, but to take action as per the Industrial Development Act,” said Ms Kebonang. ENDS