Time to address growing racial tensions over economy

A hotel owner- a Motswana of Indian descent - was subjected to social media outrage because he had barred hawkers from reoccupying his property without his permission.

To be sure, there was nothing illegal about the hotel owners’ acts. In fact, business centres, including the adjacent government-owned Rail Park, are chasing hawkers from their premises all the time. Unfortunately, this hotel owner’s property happened to be in the very heart of town; the main bus rank area.  At the time Gaborone Hotel owners fenced up their property, the hawkers were not in occupation. COVID19 regulations had forced them out.