04 Sep 2024

Minister of Trade and Industry Honourable Mmusi Kgafela has told Parliament that government has a mandate to attract investors into the country from across the world.

Minister Kgafela said this when answering a question in Parliament on Tuesday.

He said some activities which were reserved but had foreigners operating or running such businesses included general dealer, fresh produce, hair or beauty parlour, cellphone shop, imported pre-owned motor dealer and bottle store.

“Initially, some sectors were open for both citizens and non-citizens and over a period of time when it is realised that Batswana can run them, they are then reserved,” he said.

However, Minister Kgafela said there were foreign nationals operating in such reserved sectors notably of Asian and other African origin.

“The main reason mostly is fronting across various sectors of the economy. The reservation is mainly to empower citizens. It is however, unfortunate that some citizens illegally transfer the reserved activities to non-citizens,” he said.

Mr Kgafela indicated that the other reason for non-citizens operating reserved activities was that when the law was amended to reserve some activities, non-citizens already operating in activities that were reserved continued to operate such since the law was not applied in retrospect.

“Notwithstanding the above, some non-citizens were exempted to operate reserved activities in line with the provisions of the law, provided such exemptions are for the best interest of the public such as creation of considerable employment and investment,” he added.

The Minister further told Parliament that when new regulations were enacted to review certain sectors, the business community and the public were duly informed through various media platforms.

“My ministry prepares an annual communication and stakeholder plan outlining education campaigns to educate the public on various laws. Various media platforms are used to sensitise the public such as radio, television and print media, kgotla and target audience meetings and 20 full councils have been sensitised,” he said.

Furthermore, he said business inspections were carried out across the country on monthly basis to check, amongst others, illegal operations and actions were taken as stipulated in the law for non-compliance. Again, he said business education was also conducted to sensitise business about, among others, the different types of licenses and those which were reserved for citizens.

MP for Selebi Phikwe West, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse had asked the minister to update Parliament on the number of sectors or industries reserved for citizens but had foreigners operating or running businesses.

Mr Keorapetse also asked the minister to explain countries of origin of foreigners operating in sectors reserved for citizens, among others. Ends