This was one of the challenges raised by the AT&T Monnakgotla director, Abel Tshepo Monnakgotla during a press conference held this week at the company’s headquarters. He noted that internal theft remains a pressing issue impacting the company's growth and trust.
Over the past 25 years, pilferage and theft have been the company’s biggest struggle. Monnakgotla revealed that the group lost millions of Pula, largely due to internal theft by staff as well as third-party theft. Despite these setbacks, he said the company has remained steadfast in its commitment to serving the nation’s transport needs with love. He noted that the company also had to deal with several serious accidents, and some were fatal. Monnakgotla further disclosed that in 2001, 2009, and 2018, they lost a total of three lives in separate incidents. Additionally, he noted that the company suffered the loss of two minibuses and two full-sized buses in accidents that happened between 2001 to 2022, highlighting the risks that never end in the transport industry. He said another pressing concern has been the rise of pirate operations that undermine their legitimate routes, which leads to a loss of customers. Further complicating their growth is government policy, which, according to Monnakgotla, the government introduces new operators into the market and hinders the expansion of established companies like AT&T Monnakgotla. "The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic also took its toll. Travel patterns were drastically reduced, impacting bus routes, air ticketing, and international holiday packages we offered as a company. On top of all these challenges, the company has had to deal with rising operational costs, including increased prices for vehicle parts and fuel, which have put further pressure on the business," Monnakgotla continued.
