Bakgatla leaders petition govt over SA retailers ban

Tefo Pheage | Friday October 7, 2016 16:52

They are up in arms against the government following the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry’s refusal to grant the South African retailers licences to operate in the Kgatleng P100million Pilane mall.

After a compromise was reached in the initial dispute, in which Prime Time Properties Ltd had written to request the ministry to exempt non-citizen retailers reserved business activities and allow them to expand their operations in the same line of trade, a new dispute has erupted in which the government now wants the SA retailers to buy local products.

The defiant retailers amongst them Jet, Mr Price, Clicks, KFC and others are still struggling on how to accede to this ultimatum with some arguing that they are already buying some of the local products such as towels.

The mall currently has 28 tenants, amongst them; First National Bank (FNB), Choppies Supermarket, Cashbuild, Puma petrol station, Barclays Bank, Knock-Out Cash ‘n Carry, OK Furniture and cell phone service providers.

Bakgatla, it is understood, are disappointed with the mall, which they long anticipated as an alternative for Gaborone. Conveniently built in the heart of Kgatleng District, the mall is expected to serve villages like Bokaa, Morwa, Pilane, Mochudi, Rasesa, Mmathubudukwane, Sikwane and Malolwane among others.

A high-level meeting was recently convened comprising Bogosi, council, land board, District Commissioner to petition the government and request the Minister, Vincent Seretse to make a waiver on some of the provisions, particularly on the one calling the SA retailers to buy local products.

The delegation sent Kgosi Linchwe, Mangole, and Mpho Morolong who is the Council Chairperson to meet Seretse on the issue. They met with the then assistant Minister, Sadique Kebonang who promised them that he will hand over their request and grievances to his Minister. In a brief interview with Mmegi Kebonang said the request by Bakgatla leaders was under consideration but was delayed by independence preparations. “I expect that the Minister will revert back to Bakgatla in the not so distant future,” he said.

The delegation wanted the Minister to exercise his powers granted in the law to exempt the SA retailers in the interest of the public.

Kgosi Segale confirmed the meeting, but said the matter is still internal. “It is true that we have met the Minister but the matter is still internal,” he confirmed.

The government reserved certain trades of business activities for citizens or companies wholly-owned by citizens as yet another initiative on citizen economic empowerment.

A decision has been taken to suspend the granting of exemptions to non-citizen companies to expand and/or open new retail stores in the reserved business space.

Multinational companies are therefore required to demonstrate meaningful participation or involvement of citizens in their businesses as a way of citizen economic empowerment before they could be granted the exemption.