REMARKS BY VICE PRESIDENT KEDIKILWE AT THE LAUNCH OF BARCELOS STORE RAIL PARK MALL (16/11/13) [Full text 900+ words] On 19th October 2013 in Mmadinare Village I officiated at a ceremony where a Supermarket managed by Batswana was being opened in a building owned by a Motswana entrepreneur. In barely a month I am officiating at a ceremony to celebrate the opening of Barcelos Rail Park Franchise owned and run by the Radikwata Family. Witnesses you are to the testimony of growing citizen participation in the country’s economy. This milestone is also testimony to the gradual success of government’s relentless citizen economic empowerment initiatives and programmes. It is pleasing that inspite of their financial challenges, these young Batswana (Radikwatas) managed to establish this undertaking from humble beginnings using their personal savings as well as partial assistance from relatives, friends and the bank. I wish to commend you for your determination and resourcefulness. I am informed that Radikwata Family formed LEX Investments in July 2009 in partnership with another family to buy two Barcelos franchise stores in Gaborone on a 50/50 shareholding basis. The company was registered solely to acquire the two businesses and run them under the management of Mrs Gaothobogwe Radikwata. The family took the opportunity to expand when they bought their partners out. The story they relate is that it took determination and perseverance to go up the hill to garner financial and other resources. They never lost heart. This vindicates the point that it takes more than money to make it. It takes sacrifice, it takes prioritising one’s needs. For thirteen years Radikwata young family made it with an old car. The Family’s resilience was evident in the development of this store that we are opening today. I gather that space for the store was secured in September 2012 and operations started in September 2013 costing a total of P420 000 for rental in a year. Of the P1.3 million, excluding rentals required to open the store, P1 million was secured from the bank. I note with appreciation the vigour, courage, perseverance, strength and negotiating skill employed to convince the bank that the project satisfied viability criteria. I am impressed that this company has employed 43 Batswana, with 19 in rail park branch only. In addition, the company spends over P300 000 on a monthly basis purchasing products and services from local suppliers. These efforts are in support of Government’s initiatives of job creation and poverty eradication. Currently, Lex operates Barcelos African Mall, Barcelos Mogoditshane and Barcelos Rail Park Mall. Mogoditshane and African Mall stores will soon be refurbished to match world class standard. It pleases all of us as the youth use their talent and emerging opportunities to venture into profitable businesses. Currently the success rate of ongoing youth funded projects stands at 87.7%. With more focus, use of abundant skills and talent more of the businesses should be sustainable. Appreciation of hard-nosed business management is also a critical ingredient. I join you in this ceremony, not merely to officiate. I join you to rejoice. The spirit of happiness whose wind has blown me here is the same spirit whose wind blew me to Zutshwa for the revival of the salt project and opening of ICT equipped Library. The same spirit that took me to Lehututu for the revival of the community leather project. To Hukuntsi for the ground-breaking of a Shopping Complex venture. To Oodi Weavers to revive the project. To Mogobane for the revival of the Mogobane Irrigation Scheme. To Inalegolo for their Farm Project. To Kokong to seek their views on what community project they want. To Lobatse, Molapowabojang, Tonota and Northern Francistown for the Dairy Projects. At stake is sustainable livelihood for community projects for self-reliance, poverty eradication, citizen economic empowerment and self-empowerment. Citizen economic empowerment isn’t only about facilitating and opening up opportunities exclusively for Batswana. It entails transformative leadership at all levels to infuse self-confidence, verve, commitment, perseverance. I am here to do just that. To be a cheer leader. The potential is enormous for the informal sector, SMMEs and medium scale projects. Undue hurdles in their way must be removed. Citizen Economic Empowerment is about showcasing pioneers, adventurers and budding entrepreneurs to demonstrate to others that other Batswana have taken the plunge by embarking upon meaningful business ventures and prospering. I have come to water the seed that hard work is a virtue that has potential to bear the fruit of being rich. I am therefore here to raise other Batswana’s spirits to aim high and to be positively jealous by out-competing each other and other business competitors. I wish to thank the management of Barcelos for investing in Botswana, and the trust and confidence that they have shown in the Radikwata family by allowing them to exploit the franchise. It is my ardent hope that the relationship could extend further with the opening of more stores. I further thank Stanbic Bank for answering the call when the Radikwata family knocked on their door. The role of councils, BOCCIM and financial institutions in supporting SMMEs cannot be overemphasised. SMMEs should be assisted and mentored to prosper, and by extension enable Batswana to uplift their livelihoods. In conclusion, it takes vision, faith, patience and perseverance to come this far and it is clearly possible for other Batswana to achieve such milestones. The efforts and assertiveness of this Family is a matter of national pride. This determination nurtures hope, nurtures self-confidence that the youth of Botswana are harnessing their business acumen and talent to hoist their entrepreneurial spirit. Let the bug catch on for a better Botswana. Pula!
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 16:28:17 +0000
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