Phikwe�s heart beats again

Final hurrah: Shoppers thronged the Phikwe Coop at its farewell sale in 2011. PIC CALISTUS KOLANTSHO
Final hurrah: Shoppers thronged the Phikwe Coop at its farewell sale in 2011. PIC CALISTUS KOLANTSHO

Situated in the centre of the town, a stone’s throw from the bus rank, is the Selebi Phikwe Cooperative Society, a membership driven retail outlet dating back to 1975. To be accurate, it was there until 2011 when increasing competition, alleged corruption and economic ill-winds forced its closure. Staff Writer, ONALENNA KELEBEILE MODIKWA finds that the iconic institution has risen from ashes and is yet again a bastion of citizen enterprise

Albert Paki, Selebi Phikwe’s first mayor who served between 1981 and 1982, fondly remembers the early days of the Selebi Phikwe Cooperative Society’s establishment. As the town formed around the fairly new copper and nickel mining operations, the cooperative, popularly known as ‘Copa’ became its first retail centre.

The Co-op was the first to sell groceries, quickly gaining the hearts of residents.  The establishment of a trendy bar also made it a magnet for social life in the blossoming town.

Editor's Comment
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That should concern every Motswana. The implications extend far beyond cattle and farmers. Botswana’s beef industry is a critical pillar of the economy, supporting thousands of households and sustaining businesses along the value chain.The loss of access to lucrative export markets has already demonstrated how quickly an animal-health crisis can become an economic crisis.This is, therefore, not the time for complacency, blame, or political...

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