04 Dec 2025

There is need to transform government systems to circumvent bureaucracies and ensure the swift and seamless implementation of Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) projects, Lobatse Botoka ward Councillor, Mr Onneetse Kagiso, has said.

In an interview on sidelines of the Lobatse Full Council sitting on December 1, Mr Kagiso noted that Lobatse had benefited from four key BETP projects envisioned to stimulate economic growth.

 

He highlighted the need for local authorities to ensure decisive and apt facilitation of investors, especially during the construction of the Lobatse Meat and Leather City Special Economic Zone (SEZ), designated by the Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA).

Mr Kagiso added that to revitalise the local economy, there was a need to do away with long processes and too much paperwork to be able to attract and retain more investors.
“Let us automate our systems. Let us have a one-stop shop. We need to revise our pieces of legislation, relax them a bit. We need to be intentional in our undertaking and have more action,” he said.

He added that the priority projects, which included the Lobatse Meat and Leather City SEZ, the Milk Valley Farm expansion, the establishment of a primary slaughter facility and the leather and footwear tannery and manufacturing initiative, would create much-needed mass employment opportunities. He called for the alignment of the vocational education system to provide market-ready skills.

Mr Kagiso urged the realignment of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training system, saying “Lobatse has been declared a meat and leather industry area; therefore, we must align our vocational education to this. Let us introduce courses that deal with leather processing and production of quality leather products, for we need these fine skills locally to be able to compete globally.”

Earlier in his speech, Lobatse Town Mayor Mr Aron Ganakgomo told the council meeting that the Meat and Leather City SEZ project, driven by SEZA in collaboration with local authorities, had already courted investors.

“SEZA has reported that they have already received interest from several investors. However, the current delay in moving forward has been due to funding for any development that would attract investors to the zone,” Mr Ganakgomo said.

Councillors heard that negotiations were underway between SEZA and an International SEZ developer who had studied Lobatse to determine the feasibility of partnering with SEZA to develop the SEZ.

They also heard that the developer had submitted a report which SEZA was currently analysing with different stakeholders to close identified gaps.

Mr Ganakgomo also told councillors that SEZA worked with potential developers who had shown interest in partnering to develop the city by bringing their own funding and network of investors.
Additionally, he said SEZA was in negotiations with the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) to ascertain if Phase 1 of the zone could start on the land already serviced next to the BMC tannery, currently undergoing revitalisation.

This, the meayor said, would enable investors who wish to process wet blue leather from the BMC tannery into finished leather goods to immediately set up in close proximity to their main input to allow them to manufacture effectively for the export market.

Regarding other projects, Mr Ganakgomo indicated that the Milk Valley Farm would procure 1 000 pregnant heifers from Brazil. Ahead of the delivery, he said the farm would undertake critical preparatory works, including the construction of additional cow housing and supporting infrastructure, as well as land development to expand fodder production.

Lobatse Thema/Motswedi ward councillor, Mr Velem Heii, said the BETP projects approved for Lobatse were critical for job creation and revitalising the local economy, which was primarily sustained by the BMC. Cllr Heii added that the informal sector also stood to benefit.

Again, he said the ongoing revitalisation of the BMC tannery plant and the construction of the BMC Meat value-addition and secondary processing plant to replace the old ECCO Cannery (built in 1978) would enhance BMC’s business model.

“This will help the state-owned enterprise achieve vertical integration and draw a return-on-investment, thus turning BMC into a sustainable entity,” he said.
Nominated councillor, Mr Gofaone Kedise was of the view that there was sluggish implementation of the SEZ which needed to be fast-tracked.

Cllr Kedise said the land for the Meat and Leather City SEZ was identified about 10 years ago and therefore it was time to act. “We have since been declared an SEZ. We need to be agile in our implementation,” he said.

Cllr Kedise further indicated that it was pertinent to draw up an aggressive marketing strategy to sell the SEZ. He argued that the time was nigh to begin to brand Lobatse as a Meat and Leather City and sell it to investors, fully packaged, at exhibitions on the world stage. “Let us spread our wings even beyond borders to market our SEZ,” he said. ENDS