28 Aug 2025

The Botswana Economic Transformation Plan (BETP), a nationwide initiative aimed at fundamentally reshaping the structure of the country’s economy, requires collaborative efforts for its success and the achievement of its goals.

This was said by Mayor of Selebi Phikwe Town Council(SPTC), Mr Oageng Makgosa, during an ongoing full council session.

Mr Makgosa said BTEP is aimed at shifting the country from a consumption-driven, import-reliant economy to an investment-led, export-oriented, innovation-driven, and inclusive economy.

He emphasised the need for a collaborative framework and stated that the council authority play a role and would align to the transformative initiative. He added that relevant stakeholders would be consulted to ensure the initiative yields the best possible outcomes for the community and the nation at large.

“BTEP is quite intensive as it is a total paradigm shift. SPTC authority will continuously consult and engage all its stakeholders to align accordingly with this set government priority to promote investment in manufacturing, agriculture, energy, tourism, and digitisation, amongst others,” he said.

Mr Makgosa said Selebi Phikwe, as an already established economic zone, should fare better since some of the structures concerning investment in different entities are already in place.

He said that SPEDU continues to lay the groundwork that facilitates economic diversification within the region by advancing the economic sectors of agribusiness, manufacturing, and tourism, amongst others.

Mr Makgosa highlighted that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) remains a critical human rights issue, evidenced by the rise in GBV incidents. He assured that the SPTC will continue to implement measures aimed at mitigating its impact.

In terms of promoting health among students, Mr Makgosa announced that preparations are underway to establish a youth-friendly services clinic at Selebi Phikwe Senior Secondary School, and a nurse has already been identified for this initiative. He emphasised that this initiative was timely, given the social and developmental challenges faced by learners.

Regarding the overall appeal and cleanliness of the town, Mr Makgosa noted that the clean-up campaign initiated by the Multi-Sectoral Anti-Litter Committee has improved the town’s appearance.

However, he pointed out that the irregular collection of waste in some areas remains a concern. This situation requires collaborative efforts from other stakeholders to resolve the issue and contribute to keeping the town clean.

Furthermore, Mr Makgosa announced that the Water Utilities Corporation has secured a budget for a wastewater maintenance project in the western area of Selebi Phikwe. This project aims to address the inadequate wastewater network by constructing approximately 7.5 kilometres of pipeline and upgrading five pump stations.

The project began in October last year and is expected to be completed by January 2026. Currently, it is progressing at 34 per cent.

“The government is committed to improving water and wastewater services in Selebi Phikwe, and we are optimistic that this project will benefit the community in both the short and long term,” he stated. ENDS