He said some businesses even pay rent with the profit they are supposedly making. Moitlhobogi observed that rent might be escalating due to the influx of businesses owned by foreigners who have no problem with the steep rentals.Another businessman, Tebogo Venson said some landlords seem not to care how their tenants' businesses are performing. He feels that they have the take-it-or-leave-it mentality.
Venson advised that when charging rent, property owners should also take into consideration the town's business environment. He said business in the copper mining town cannot be compared to other towns'.An agent at Willy Kathurima Associates in Francistown, Stephinah Molefi, said the escalation of rentals was a concern, but added that it is not peculiar to Selebi Phikwe. She advised property owners to also take into consideration that tenants were also affected by the economic recession and might find it difficult to pay rent.
