Phalaagae wins engine farmers� dream grand prize

Spira Tlhankane | Monday September 14, 2015 14:40

The competition’s final draw was held at the Mochudi Engine Filling station, the very same place where Phalaagae entered the competition. The tractor comes with a four-disc agro master plough, an offset and a two-row planter every month for four months.

Phalaagae beat nine other finalists to clinch the sought-after price, when his name was selected from a draw. The competition was entered by Engen customers who bought fuel of not less than P200 at any participating filling station in Botswana.

After the closing date, all the entries were taken to the Engine headquarters in Gaborone for short-listing. The last 10 finalists were selected randomly during DJ Sly’s RB2 afternoon show. An ecstatic Phalaagae said he could not believe he had just won the competition.

“On a lucky day I went to the Engine station and filled up my car with petrol worth P300. I then filled in the form to enter the competition,” he recalled.

Phalaagae said there was confusion at first because he shares his name with another person in Mochudi. Since he didn’t know which Phalaagae they were referring to, he was skeptical about travelling to Gaborone, until he received a phone call confirming that he was the winner.

Phalaagae added that although he is not a farmer, with time he will learn more about the field, because agriculture receives a lot of support from government.

Engen retail manager Bobby Tlhabiwe said many companies have promotions and in the end people win money or cars. He said Engen wanted to be different and came up with a valuable prize.  “A tractor is an income stream for our winners and is a source of food security in Botswana,” he said.

Tlhabiwe said the competition, which started in 2013, has grown in leaps and bounds annually.  “Engen has already given away 12 tractors since the competition’s inception and there are two more left, to be given away to lucky winners before the end of 2015,” he said.