06 Jul 2023

Textile industry businesses in the Molepolole South constituency have been implored to work as clusters for better assistance and improved business production.

Giving a keynote address at Botswana textile sector capacity building workshop in Molepolole recently, Molepolole South MP and also Minister for State President Mr Kabo Morwaeng said the workshop was purposed to empower industry players in the textile industry.

“This workshop has been put together to equip you with the right skills and capacitate you to fully enjoy the fruits of your labour,” he told participants. 

He said government programmes and policies geared at self-sufficiency, where Batswana were the ones in charge of the local economy, were continuously being developed.

Mr Morwaeng added that the textile industry, mainly women dominated, was one sector Batswana could tap onto to create a better future for themselves. 

He noted that the workshop was  an opportunity for them to learn how best they could  tap into the industry and come up with ways of working together to meet the quality and quantity desired by the market.

He encouraged the industry players to fill the gap created by the import restrictions and work around profitable prospects to be gained through cluster formation.

He said for a long time silo mentality hindered the growth and progress of the textile industry, stating if they worked together as a team they would reap more benefits. 

“In doing more and gaining more, the positive community impact is most certainly guaranteed,” he said.

He said such success would lead to direct economic gains and sustenance of families. Mr Morwaeng added that the end result would be attainment of national capacity to equally and competitively participate in the export markets such as the lucrative AGOA market.

Botswana Exporters and Manufacturers Association (BEMA) CEO, Ms Mmantlha Sankoloba said the textile industry had a potential to create employment locally. She said the restriction on the importation of school uniform gave textile businesses an opportunity to grow the local economy and develop to meet the market demands.

She said BEMA played a critical role in ensuring that industry players understood what government wanted from them and how they could benefit. She said Botswana’s small market called for development of a strong export minded industry, and such demanded quality standards if their goods were to reach the foreign market.

She further said textile business owners should embrace government’s mindset change agenda to do things differently by working together.

Ms Banusi Mbaakanyi from Botswana Textile and Clothing Association encouraged industry players to work together for the good of their businesses. She said working in unison would be of a great value and benefit as they would enjoy value chain that comes with production process.

She said the textile industry had a huge potential if those involved could work as a team to produce what the market needed. She said because Africa was now a one stop market, Botswana should strive to develop textile industry ready to clothe Africa and the World.

Attendants commended Molepolole South constituency office  for empowering them with the right skills and necessary statutory requirements. They however decried favors in awarding of school uniform tenders, which they said bred lack of trust and animosity among the industry players.

Ms Gaefele Morake said through the years of her business operation, she had seen favoritism by those in charge of tenders. Ms Sophie Mmoloke decried lack of local empowerment and being overlooked in favor of businesses outside Molepolole.

In his welcome remarks Kweneng District Council chairperson Mr Allen Jacob said fashion designers played a pivotal role in clothing communities they lived in. He said the workshop provided an opportunity for them to learn from important stakeholders on what was required of them to satisfy the market demands and as such they should work hard to improve their quality produce. ENDs