26 May 2021

Locally produced personal protective equipment (PPE) is of good quality, Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe has asserted.

 The ministry would therefore be gratified to do business with textile industries in Selebi Phikwe rather than procuring PPEs outside the country, he said during a tour of Selebi Phikwe textile industries on Monday.

 Mr Lelatisitswe pointed out that because of the high demand for PPE as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health ministry, spent a lot of money on the equipment.

“We command a high budget because COVID-19 is our number one priority and also President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s priority,” he said.

He said procuring locally was not only cheaper but would also empower local textile industries to increase capacity and employ more people.

“Our people need to know that there were people in Selebi Phikwe who produced PPEs therefore we cannot continue to procure outside the country whilst there were people here producing PPEs locally,” he said..

 However, Mr Lelatisitswe  implored local businesses to produce quality competitive products and services. 

As much as government wanted to support local businesses they should produce quality products, he stressed adding that quality in the health sector was key.

For his part,  Assistant  Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi said it was important to support local businesses as espoused in President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s road map.

He said government, through CEDA and LEA, had helped establish the citizen-owned textile industries hence the need to empower the owners with the view to create more jobs.

If product quality was low, it was upon his ministry to ensure that the industries improved their standards to meet those set by the health ministry, he said.

Mr Molebatsi urged  government departments to procure locally, particularly from the SPEDU region.

MP for Selebi Phikwe East, Mr Kgoberego Nkawana commended government for the five priority areas that President Masisi has put forward.

He urged government departments, parastatals and the private sector to ensure implementation of the priorities without fail for the benefit of the nation.

Selebi Phikwe Mayor, Mr Lucas Modimana said the focus should be on COVID-19 aftermath to address its devastating effects on the economy, adding that there should be a proper framework to guide the exercise.

He said the issue of standards for locally produced goods should be looked into as local companies were still at an infant stage and could therefore not be at par with their foreign competitors.

If Selebi Phikwe based companies did not get government support, the idea of resuscitating the town’s economy would be a mirage, he said.

Mr Modimana therefore called on government and private sector to support industries in the SPEDU region. Ends