23 Sep 2020

CEDA CEO Mr Thabo Thamane has acknowledged that his organisation has received complaints from people alleging that CEDA employees steal their business ideas.

Addressing North East District full council sitting on Tuesday Mr Thamane however, indicated that these allegations were unfounded in that there was no evidence produced to support these claims.

Mr Thamane said CEDA encouraged people to report any acts of misconduct to the police and DCEC for thorough investigations.

He further stated that CEDA had in the past deployed DCEC officers to work with them for a period of six months so that they could monitor their processes of which their findings proved that CEDA upheld integrity.

Moreover, the CEO said in any case where evidence was produced to indicate that their employees were unethical proper steps would be taken against that officer.

Responding to questions from councillors, Mr Thamane said the poultry industry was failing to sustain itself due to disjointed value chain.

He highlighted that CEDA had in the past funded poultry, horticulture, piggery and beef businesses that eventually collapsed due to disorganised value chain.

He said it was important for sectors to form strong associations that would protect their businesses and ensure that their voice was one.

Mr Thamane said a situation where one person owned the entire value chain resulted in price fixing as they did not have competition in the industry hence crippling other people who may want to penetrate that same market.

He highlighted that since its inception CEDA had assisted over 7000 customers having generated P1.2 billion injected into the economy and creating 60 000 jobs.

The CEO stated that when drafting the new guidelines they focused on the Vision 2036 pillar of sustainable economic development and also align them to the President’s roadmap.

He said a sustainable economic development could be achieved through entrepreneurship hence stated that they had prioritised sectors such as manufacturing, mining,  agro-processing, agriculture, creative industry, tourism, technology and innovation.

Councillors Molomo Maano and Mothusi Nakedi of Ditladi and Makaleng wards respectively had asked CEDA if claims that some of their officers stole business plans from clients and sold them were true.

The councillors held the views that Batswana did not believe in CEDA due to the recurring allegations of corruption hence requested the CEO to keep a close eye and investigate such acts.

Councillor William Tatose of Senyawe ward had also asked CEDA why the poultry business was struggling in Botswana and if CEDA ever received businesses proposals from people interested in the poultry industry in order to cultivate competition. Ends