Expectations high for solution to job losses
Dolly Bathobakae | Friday February 3, 2017 14:44
The northern part of the country has been greatly affected both directly and indirectly, as it experienced massive retrenchment of miners following the closure of BCL Mine in Selebi-Phikwe and its subsidiary, Tati Nickel Mining Company (TNMC). Several companies contracted to both the BCL and Tati mines also lost out on their deals when the government placed the mines under provisional liquidation.
Sectors among them retail, banking and real estate have been equally affected by the closure of the mines.
The city dwellers are eagerly waiting for the speech to hear what Finance minister, Kenneth Matambo has on offer.
Gaolebale Kebao -
Tailor
All I wish for in this Budget Speech is for the minister to come up with solutions to the jobs that were shed by the BCL and Tati mines. They need to come up with new plans and ideas in order to help those affected to survive. I believe the unemployment rate is growing faster than I thought because soon I will not have a place where I will be operating as the council wants to demolish the stalls we are using. The 2016-2017 Budget Speech was a disaster as the government cried about shortage of funds. I believe this year the situation will be different as the speech is our only hope.
Lungile Shadreck – Student
The Budget Speech should be about how the government aims to close the gap of unemployment by creating opportunities for its people. I hope the Minister of Finance does not throw the people who were retrenched from their work places under the bus. Each one of them is looking at government to come up with a good strategy in creating employment for them.
Victoria Kesimolotse
The Budget Speech has been presented for years, and to be honest nothing has changed. Even before it is presented, Batswana already know about government’s intentions. I expect empty promises that the Botswana Democratic Party-led government has said in the previous years. What we as Batswana hope for is that the salaries be increased. It is what we have been crying for, but the government regarding this matter has taken no step.
Phillip Mhlanga - CEO
Phillip Digital Studio
I do not really follow the Budget Speech, but I feel it is high time the government invests money in already existing businesses in order to create employment for the people. We see a lot of employment opportunities in our country, but the northern side is the most affected by joblessness. The previous years have been okay, but things took a spin in 2016 as they got worse and as a business we are forced to drop our prices to accommodate this situation, which is bad for business.
James Banyatsi - Cobbler
The Budget Speech never goes with how Batswana feel or want that is why we are experiencing this high unemployment rate. We just get the ideas and wishes of the government and we go with them.
Retrenchment of employees too has made things worse for us as the northern people and I really do not know how we are going to survive since we have not been making ends meet. Just imagine what those people are going through. The government should come with a solution to create employment for the retrenched miners and others.