Business Botswana Meets Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs Ketlhalefile Motshegwa

The CEO of Business Botswana gave a high-level mandate of the organisation and its alignment to the Ministry, highlighting the Local Level Consultative Council (LLCC) meetings co-chaired by the Business Council chairpersons and the District Commissioners; fit into the Ministry’s Sectoral Level Consultative Council structure (SLCC) co-chaired by the Minister and the HLCC Coordinator.

The Ministry’s High-Level Consultative Council Coordinator, Mr Oitlogetse Rantaung requested the Minister’s intervention in revitalising the SLCC. He explained that these meetings help address impediments hindering the growth of the sector and enhance collaboration between national and local authorities for better project alignment. Mr. Rantaung also raised the issue of private sector representation in the Rural Development Council (RDC), calling for greater involvement and clarity on the ongoing RDC strategy review. He acknowledged the Ministry's nationwide responsibilities and budgetary constraints, emphasising the need for targeted and efficient resource allocation.

Business Botswana’s Head of Policy and Research, Mr. Mpaphi Tsholofelo , highlighted the importance of decentralisation and SME support in driving local economic development. He stressed the need for clarity on the progress of the decentralisation policy, which he views as key to empowering local authorities, enabling them to pursue investment opportunities and promote rural development. Mr. Tsholofelo also underscored the importance of local authorities in facilitating the growth of SMEs and the informal economy, noting that these businesses constitute the majority of district economies. He urged authorities to adopt regulatory frameworks that support, rather than restrict, these businesses.

Additionally, Mr. Tsholofelo expressed concern over the lack of private sector input in the development of District Development Plans (DDPs). He argued that DDPs should be designed to facilitate private sector growth by outlining the

district’s economic direction and leveraging local infrastructure. However, he reiterated Business Botswana’s commitment to supporting rural economic development, not just urban growth.

In response, Honourable Motshegwa thanked Business Botswana for the meeting and reaffirmed the government's commitment to addressing key economic challenges, including poverty, unemployment, and inequality, through a renewed focus on partnerships and reform. He mentioned that the government is re-engineering the role of local government, aiming for greater decentralisation of power, with plans for implementation before the end of the year. This initiative seeks to improve public service delivery and community empowerment by giving local authorities greater autonomy.

Honourable Motshegwa also highlighted the government's focus on economic empowerment through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), noting that Ministers have been tasked with contributing to employment creation through such partnerships. He emphasised that Citizen Economic Empowerment is a top priority, particularly in the fight against corruption and the promotion of quality infrastructure. He acknowledged concerns regarding corruption in procurement and tendering processes, assuring that the government is committed to fairness and justice in these processes, ensuring that projects are awarded based on merit and capacity, with an emphasis on delivering quality, durable projects on time and within budget.

The Minister explained that the government is streamlining processes to create a more business-friendly environment, shifting focus from processes to results and outputs. Policy alignment efforts are underway to address existing challenges. Regarding strengthening district business councils, the government recognises the importance of local-level engagement and plans to revitalise these councils. The government also aims to remove any fear businesses may have in raising issues, encouraging more open dialogue.