14 Mar 2021

The Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry said 512 out of 2 246 non-citizen businesses registered in the country paid tax in December 2020.

Responding to a question in Parliament on Thursday, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi said this was because businesses were taxed based on their turnover.

He said the 2 246 businesses have been licensed by different local authorities and excluded those in security, health and finance.

Assistant Minister Molebatsi said although government set minimum wages, an agreement between the employer and employee determined the minimum wage.

He said companies which failed to provide minimum wage were fined P1 000 or imprisoned for six months or both.

The assistant minister said the Ministry of employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development undertook labour inspections and 208 were done between January and December 2020.

Mr Molebatsi said 17 activities under the Industrial Act were reserved for Batswana while under the Liquor Act, bar and nightclubs were reserved for the citizens.

He said the reason for reserving some sectors for the citizens was to encourage them to participate in the country’s economic performance, adding that they were reviewed to protect more sectors for Batswana.

Gaborone Bonnington South MP, Mr  Christian Greeff had asked the minister to state the number of non-citizen companies that operate in the country.

He also wanted to know the number that paid tax and the number that paid their salaries according to the government’s set standards.

The MP also asked if the ministry did not consider reserving some businesses for locals especially those at the level of small economic services. Ends