20 Jan 2014

Young people in Selebi Phikwe should conceive ideas for viable businesses that will have a positive impact on the diversification of the town’s economy, the Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Nonofo Molefhi said recently.

Addressing Selebi Phikwe youth at Annes Park, Mr Molefhi said they should take advantage of development projects earmarked for the town to start business. Mr Molefhi, who is the MP for Selebi Phikwe East, said the Selebi Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU) studied how to diversify the economy of the town and uplift its economic status.

He said the organisation came up with numerous development plans and projects that could be pursued to diversify the economy of the town and create jobs. He urged the youth to venture into horticulture, noting that  a vegetable processing plant with the capacity to process between 500kg and one tonne of vegetables per hour would be setup in the town.

The vegetable processing plant could serve as a market for the youth to sell their farm produce. He encouraged the youth to specialise on different types of vegetables such as tomatoes, green pepper, carrots and cabbage.

He said the youth should also consider engaging in dairy farming. He noted that government agencies such as SPEDU, the Department of Youth, CEDA, LEA and the Ministry of Agriculture were available to assist and guide the youth to realise their objectives.

Mr Theodore Seemule, a representative of SPEDU, said the vegetable processing plant would present opportunities in packaging, marketing and transportation. An officer of the Department of Youth, Ms Isabel Ndebele, urged the youth to take advantage of youth empowerment programmes to start businesses.

Ms Ndebele also urged the youth to research and to come up with unique and viable projects. The youth who attended the meeting said land was a major hindrance to whatever ventures they wanted to undertake. ENDS