SMMEs employ over 300 000: Makgato-Malesu

Although SMMEs' contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has declined from 42 percent in 2008, it is still significant today at 32 percent.

Makgato-Malesu said the sector accounts for almost 90 percent of registered businesses in Botswana. "In the past, SMMEs have often been viewed by financial institutions as being risky due to the lack of collateral to secure their loans. What many fail to recognise however is how critical a role this sector plays as a key driver of growth and in contributing towards economic diversification, job creation and poverty alleviation. It is for this reason that government will ensure that the investment climate promotes competitiveness of locally based firms with a view to accelerating economic growth and employment creation," she said.