Weather-beaten silo turns 40

Shareholders at Sefalana have every reason to smile. Pre-tax profits have more than doubled in three years, revenues are up 25 percent over the same period, the group’s retail and wholesale footprint has expanded beyond Botswana and its other subsidiaries have strong growth prospects.

The rosy prospects include an estimated P800 million contribution to group turnover from the 13 new Namibian stores in the first 10 months of trading, a P150 million order from government to the Commercial Motors subsidiary, forecast low grain prices for the Foods Botswana subsidiary, rising soap orders in Zimbabwe and a robust outlook for its property portfolio locally and in Zambia. The group has secured P100 million loan funding for the development of several properties in Botswana, including its new multimillion headquarters in Broadhurst and it also plans to develop its 42,000 square metre holding in Setlhoa village near the Airport turnoff, into a mega retail centre.