He said advancing their interests as a unit would be more manageable and effectively contribute toward the township’s economic development.

Speaking at a consultative meeting with the informal sector recently, Mr Ntsimako said as part of his roadmap, he was committed to enhancing community engagement with various sectors of the economy.

He acknowledged the role of the informal sector in local economic development and poverty eradication. Consequently, he underscored the need for a vibrant committee that would link the business owners with the council for improved coordination and communication.

“You need to come up with a very strong committee, which will unite you to speak with one voice. The challenges you are raising could be addressed through such a properly coordinated setup in order for you to effectively play your role to contribute towards the local economic development of our township,” he said.

Additionally, the mayor noted that for the council to improve their services, business owners had to pay their market stall rentals on time. He said this would enable the council to fulfill their commitments to ensuring they operated from a clean environment which was also safe.

He also urged them to ensure that their business surroundings were kept clean to preserve the aesthetic of the township and appeal to customers.

Mr Ntsimako further noted that in an endeavour to augment the government’s efforts, his council was making strides in various Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives.

To date, he said they had collaborated with Red Path to provide office accommodation to all council wards, as a way to improve community engagements and decentralise services.

He also said the partnership with Jwaneng Mine to establish an Arts and Craft market centre was at advanced stage, as the project was currently at tendering stage.

He also noted that plans were underway to construct a shopping mall in Jwaneng, which was the brainchild of Jwaneng Town Council and the Debswana Pension Fund. He noted that such a development was expected to create job opportunities and also contribute towards the town’s economic growth.

In addition, he said Jwaneng was poised to transform into a sporting hub through hosting various sporting activities. He therefore implored the informal sector to position themselves for economic opportunities that may arise from these developments.

“It is important that you position yourselves for all these developments taking place in our town so that you effectively participate in the economic activities,” he noted.

For their part, participants appreciated the town leadership for acknowledging their role in the economic development of Jwaneng and opening an overdue dialogue for better coordination of the informal sector.

However, they decried a poor sewage system around their businesses, which they said was a health hazard. They also requested that they be allocated market stalls at the envisioned shopping mall.

“The new shopping mall should cater for the informal sector, particularly barbers and hair dressers so that our operations are more presentable and preserve the aesthetic of the township,” said Mr Kenaope Kgotlaetsile.

Ms Gaobonale Watshipi urged the council to strengthen their monitoring systems and make regular follow-ups on market stall rentals.

She noted that this would go a long way in identifying defaulters on time as well as ensure optimal compliance. She further said the council should reserve the market stalls for Jwaneng residents only. ENDS