The workshop followed the last November’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry engagement with them and other retailers to start giving preference to local suppliers.
This was a condition set by government as a way of ‘arm twisting’ foreign retailers operating in reserved businesses to empower Batswana. The Ministry says it have reached a mutual satisfactory agreement with the South African retailer consenting to capacitate local suppliers as well as giving a part of their in-store floor space to local suppliers in the next two years.