02 Nov 2020

Fours Cash and Carry officially opened its 12th retail store in Shakawe, a development hailed by the residents who will no longer travel long distances as far as Maun to purchase stock.

Speaking during the official opening on October 30, Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi hailed the directorship of Fours Cash and Carry for bringing services closer to the people.

He also acknowledged that Fours supplied both formal and informal sector such as tuck shops and that their favourable pricing model made it easy for Batswana to make a living.

He said the store was playing a key role in helping government to improve the livelihoods of Batswana, adding that the retailer had created employment opportunities for 96 people from Shakawe.

Mr Molebatsi pointed out that his ministry was mandated to attract investment and develop sustainable industries.

“Facilitating companies like Fours to trade is our mandate and we take gratitude on that.

Job creation is one of our key priorities for this economy and we rely on the business community to create jobs while government creates a conducive environment to facilitate them,” he added.
As a way of improving the business environment, he said the government had reviewed some policies and laws as well as administrative processes among them the Trade Act and Industrial Development Act to reduce the number of days for starting a business.

The minister also cited the launching of online business registration services enabled by the review of the Companies Act, Companies Re-Registration Act, Registration of Business Names Act, among others.

Mr Molebatsi said currently they were in the process of reviewing and developing the citizen-focused laws to create a balance in helping both Batswana and non-nationals.

He called for fair business practices and good pricing as well as good labour relations and implored Fours Cash and Carry to support local products and local business owners by developing value chains.

For his part, Fours Cash and Carry chief executive officer, Mr Saleem Malique said the retailer was established to localise supplies within the fast-moving consumer goods industry.

He said the intention was to allow for further process of distribution by engaging private sector participation as a way of stimulating economic growth as well as employment creation.
Shakawe Fours Cash and Carry,  he said, hired 96 people, 95 per cent of whom were from Ngamiland region.

Unlike other businesses, Mr Malique revealed that they had grown a special interest in small to medium re-sellers as they wanted to empower them through provision and cultivation on an enabling environment, which made  it easier for business start-ups among locals. ENDS