Lobatse Potter Aims High
Tumelo Mouwane | Monday August 7, 2017 16:32
For Alfred Babusi, a Lobatse-born youth who specialises in cement flowerpots, the appetite to learn has been the reason behind his success in business.
The 27-year-old entrepreneur did not look for government or a company to offer him employment upon completing his tertiary studies. He used the little he had to start a business, which is now making its mark in Lobatse. Babusi manufactures flowerpots made from sand, water and cement at his home in Woodhall. The flowerpots come in different varieties that include shape, size, colour and they can also be branded with company or individual logos or brands.
All this he says is because of his attitude towards learning when he was still a student in Palapye where he said he met friends who were doing ‘something that was too different’ from the course he was pursuing. “I came across this concept back in 2015 when I was a student in Palapye. I was then studying Business Communications and I met some friends who were doing something different from my career.
I started acquiring the skills for manufacturing the flowerpots from them because I developed keen interest to learn and they realised that I have passion to conquer the field. When I finished school, I bought two moulds from them to go and start my own business in Lobatse,” Babusi said. Babusi said one of the advantages of the business is that the costs are minimal and only requires skill for one to be successful.
“I just need cement, sand and water to produce an item. A single bag of cement can produce several flowerpots but the biggest challenge is that my prospective customers are in Gaborone. I have to ferry a number of the flowerpots and sell in Gaborone and they are heavy,” he said.
He further added that sometimes after taking them to Gaborone people end up not buying. Another challenge, he said, is lack of support from Lobatse companies. “Lobatse companies don’t buy from me; they say their budgets are tight.
I target lodges and hotels because these are very nice flowerpots, which can decorate a property quite well, but lack of adequate resources is a challenge for me to reach them.”