�Govt helped me achieve this,� Maretlwaneng tells Mahama
Amanda Dichabe | Wednesday March 11, 2015 11:13
He was speaking during a tour of his company’s offices by visiting Ghanaian President, John Dramani Mahama Monday.
Maretlwaneng, whose company has been at the forefront of film production since its inception in 2008, said they started with only one worker, but the company now employs 50 people.
Briefing the Ghanaian President’s entourage, Maretlwaneng said through Botswana’s Youth Development Fund (YDF) scheme, he was able to establish his company in 2008 after graduating with a four year Bachelor’s degree in Film and Television from the University of Swinburne in Australia.
“This company started with only one permanent employee. But it now employs over 50 people who are degree holders in their respective fields. This is a living example (of government’s effort in helping aspiring young entrepreneurs),” he said.
He further said government made it possible for him to achieve this through the scholarship, which he was awarded after representing the country internationally at the World Cup Junior all- style Karate Championships in 1996. “My desire to start this company was driven by passion which I have for film and the media, ” he said.
Dee Zone productions has produced television programmes that play on local and international television stations. Among others, it has done productions for Botswana Television, DSTV channels Studio 53, Channel O, and Africa Magic.
Some of the company’s successful projects include ‘Ntwakgolo’, ‘Letlhabile’, ‘Pula Power’, ‘Pelo kgale’, ‘Good Morning Africa’, ‘Planet Radio’, ‘Trends’ and ‘I’ Cherry’.
Mahama congratulated Maretlwaneng on the good job that he was doing and the government of Botswana.
“I wish all the youth of Africa could do the same in boosting our continent through creating employment opportunity which is the daunting challenge that African countries face,” he said. During the same tour, Gaborone District Coordinator in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Jacob Sekgomi, announced that government would re-finance the successful youth-owned businesses, which were established through the YDF scheme.