Sello Motseta
6th February 2020
Set and Mak Orange Farm which has 9 hectares under cultivation, which is a bludgeoning horticulture project in Molalatau was the first stop of a 2 day whirlwind fact finding tour of small businesses in the Selibi Phikwe region, as Government ramps up efforts to catapult locally owned businesses.
This Horticulture project which focuses on Citrus production is a classic example of what happens when Government departments work together. When the farm has oranges available retail outlets in the region are not allowed to buy from RSA and only buy when local produce is sold out.
Daniel Makwana is therefore a recipient of good intentioned policies properly implemented and there is inter agency co-opreration towards a common developmental goal. He has been very fortunate because the borders are closed by authorities when he has oranges available for sale and does not have market access issues. He is therefore primarily focused on growing business to meet growing demand.
His illustrious list of clients include Pick ‘ Pay, Choppies(Selibe Phikwe), Phikwe Primary schools, Hawkers and Individuals. Operating from a 17.9 hectare farm, he plants onions with emphasis on Oranges.
He also uses modern irrigation methods and uses a staff complement of 2 employees and harvests once a year. 1 Orange tree typically yields 35 bags of 7 kg of oranges and despite being fortunate to be able to sell a lot of what he produces he complains that farming is very expensive.
This realisation dawned on him when he received assistance from Local Enterprise Authority(LEA) and he started keeping better records of what the costs of inputs vis a vis outputs.
“I never kept records. Spent over P1m to connect electricity and was assisted by LEA to do a business plan for free. Import for citrus is very high and so I decided to tap into this opportunity,” said Makwana.
LEA developed a Business plan for Sat and Mak Orange Farm so they could access to ISPAAD funds. The business also benefitted from LEA sponsored Entrepreneurship Development training, guidance on understanding Horticultural techniques and Business coaching.
This journey as an entrepreneur has not been the same for LEA clients. A youthful Botsile Moreba begun his entrepreneurship journey early after failing to complete his secondary schooling with a subvention from the Youth Development Fund in 2017. He would also get P700,000 from CEDA to further capacitate the business and buy equipment which enabled him to produce 800 loaves of bread of day, scones costing P6 and buns costing P1 for schools, weddings, funerals and schools.
A maturing business Sanctified Delights sources flour from Bolux and Sefalana because of limited volumes.
“Our current challenge is space. We need to increase production and so we need more space. The other problem is that Government often pays us late creating cash flow problems,” said Moreba.
Moreba is however hopeful that with the support of LEA his business will grow from strength to strength because of the political muscle it is able to bring to bear on those who are likely to be assets for the business especially buyers in government schools and departments.
It is however of little comfort to learn that event those in power struggle to access Government support.
Betty Kgathi who heads marketing at a family lodge business established in 2011 complains about the costly two year delays in approval for establishment of the conference and exhibition facility. The lodge has 31 rooms after starting with only 11 and has a staff complement of 14 employees.
This two star facility that enjoys a 80% occupancy rate during the course of the year, has rooms available for P250 a night for individuals, family rooms for P800 and executive rooms for P850 and is largely dependent on Government employees for support.
LEA helped Betty Kgathi with business coaching, enterprise monitoring, customer service and branding for lodge cars, letterheads, pamphlets and signage.
Another figure in the small business space receiving assistance from LEA is a quiet authority figure, who took over a business because the owners had reached retirement age.
A self-taught mechanic this business matriarch rose to the pinnacle of the business as the most reliable go to employee who eventually assumed control of a business that was well established and still continues to enjoy the patronage of the local community.
“I worked for 23 years for Phikwe radiators and realised late in life that when you love something education is not always necessary. The owners were elderly and could not go on with the business so bought it from them after working as an employee for a long period,” said Ketaroma Moshe.
Moshe sold her car to raise capital and bought a machine and started her journey as a self-funded entrepreneur. Since inception she has received support from Selibi Phikwe and Bobirwa Council who have in the past brought vehicles to Trust Radiator Clinic for servicing and the previous owners with whom she continues to enjoy good relations who have helped her during difficult period with rental income for building and other small interventions design to provide support.
With the support of the Local Enterprise Authority(LEA) she has obtained a PPADB certificate and participated in exhibitions in Gaborone and Selibi Phikwe to maximise publicity for business.
Moshe skims brake drums and discs, cleans and repairs radiators, refurbishes petrol tanks, skimms flywheels, conducts pressure testing as well as repairing cylinder heads and grinding valves.
LEA has assisted Trust Clinic with support in areas including EDT training, process improvement, Technology awareness, Technology gap analysis, factory layout, Occupational Health and Safety, Trade Shows, Business coaching and Enterprise monitoring.
“People are there across country providing different products and services. It is important for Batswana to see what local entrepreneurs are doing with support of LEA. The limited advert spend creates an opportunity for LEA to collaborate with media to provide maximum publicity. When public know what LEA is doing it is easier for the organization to help them,” said Fana Mothusi Kelebogile, New Sector Innovation, Local Enterprise Authority(LEA).
The list of LEA supported projects is not complete without Maiteko Morapetsane of Selibi Phikwe who is focusing on Cleaning Detergents -Pinegel, Dishwasher, Car and carpet shampoo, multi purpose cleaners, Bleach and Blood stain remover.
LEA has helped Totanang (PTY)LTD with incubation on cleaning detergents, Business plan development, Business coaching, business formalisation (EDD), Market access -trade shows, Buyer seller seminars and Enterprise monitoring
The media tour helped to inculcate in our minds the unavoidable and gnawing reality that for a business idea to become a small business opportunity requires resilience and commitment from a business owner. It also needs to be premised on proper market research and forward planning.