14 Mar 2024

In a bid to expand his horizon, the managing director of Zekethubojwa Company, Mr Thuso Mouti has stretched operations by commissioning a facility for manufacturing of cleaning products.

Based in Shakawe village in the Okavango district, the facility opened doors recently and it specializes in household, commercial and industrial cleaning chemicals such as window cleaners, fabric softeners, carpet shampoos and liquid bleaches among others.

Initially, the company focused on clinical, domestic and industrial waste collection, pest control services, treatment of waste-water ponds, sludge degradation and the treatment of pit latrines and all the services aimed at minimizing the customers’ impact on the environment.

However, the company owner saw the need to further diversify products to grow his venture hence manufacturing of cleaning products with a view to benefit from the Economic Diversification Drive (EDD) initiative aims to ensure that the procuring entities support locally produced goods and services from locally based manufactures and service providers.

The company has been registered under the EDD which is designed with the primary goal to address challenges of economic diversification, export development, poverty, inequality and exclusion, unemployment, local economic and SMME development, and improving the regulatory and business environment.

However, the youthful entrepreneur, Mr Mouti confirmed in an interview that the manufacturing facility was fully operational as they managed to produce the first batch of the cleaning chemicals last year December.

He is of the view that offering additional services would not only increase revenue but also increase customer retention and create employment opportunities for locals.

He appealed to the procuring entities and the community at large to support his company which he said strived to be an industry leader and provide consistent cleaning results for business, individuals across the district and surrounding areas.

The company, he said used professional equipment to produce quality cleaning chemicals that do not harm the environment citing that they were also determined to consistently perform the service in a timely fashion.

“As a company we have a professional reputation in providing quality services and I can assure you that we have dedicated cleaning teams who are proficient in all house cleaning services and residential requirements. As such I appeal to you to make use of our services and products” he added.

Mr Mouti is of the view that every home deserves the best when it comes to cleaning services and called on other company owners and individuals to engage them and relax while their reliable professionals fulfill all their cleaning services requirements.

Although, he said currently, they were enjoying support but it was minimal as some businesses and individuals purchased the chemicals in small quantities and thus made it difficult to secure enough raw materials to increase production.

He said he was banking on the EDD initiative and believed that entities would comply and ensure small businesses enjoy the set EDD preference margins.

Collaboration with other businesses in the industry, he said could lead to new opportunities and growth and called on locals to support and promote local products noting that now days, Batswana were capable of creating quality products.

“Your continuous support will ensure the growth of small businesses and eventually create employment opportunities for young people. I call all procuring entities to comply with the EDD guidelines and ensure small business benefit from the EDD preference margins,” he added.

Mr Mouti has opened some retail outlets in areas such as Gumare, Maun, Ghanzi, Tshootsha, Bothatogo among others to ensure the community access the cleaning products.

Furthermore, he noted that Plans were underway to establish a material recycling facility in Shakawe village in an effort to enhance the environmental upkeep and conserve natural resources.

He revealed that he had already secured an industrial plot and the project would focus on processing waste material ranging from paper, cardboard, plastic among others.

Mr Mouti revealed that the envisaged project would process and package for delivery to manufacturing companies with the SADC region adding that the project was in line with the Botswana Waste Management Policy which emphasises ‘waste for wealth’.

As a benefit, he said the project would provide direct employment to local communities as some would be working in the plant while some would be selling recovered materials to the company.

“This is an ideal project as it will play a vital role in the recycling process by maximising community recycling efforts even in areas that see low participation in recycling programs.

The project will also promote conservation of natural resources, lessen the destruction of natural environment and keep dangerous contaminants out of the soil and water,” he added.

Mr Mouti noted that currently, they were conducting preliminary activities in the first face of development to establish hazardous waste more so that the plant would be located within the environs of the pristine Okavango Delta which is a World Heritage Site. Ends