Trade minister snubs Oriental Plaza

The P70 million building was completed in December 2011 and was supposed to have started operations a few months after, but the minister of Trade and Industry, Dorcas Makgatho-Malesu put the spanner in the works when she denied them licences citing racial discrimination at the place. Makgatho-Malesu made it clear from the onset that she wanted Oriental Plaza to integrate Batswana into the complex before it could be granted licences.

Though the consultant, Sam Masunga insists they have handled everything that was required and that they have Batswana tenants, Makgatho-Malesu still insists that they have not met all the requirements.