4th August 2022
Own Correspondent
South African exports to Botswana were R64.4 billion last year, and South Africa remains Botswana’s number one source of imports. Botswana is South Africa’s 7th largest export market.
“Since the hosting of the first Bi-National Commission in 2013, there have been 38 Memoranda of Understanding between South Africa and Botswana, and we are long overdue to hold the next BNC so that we can further explore areas of cooperation,” said Dr Naledi Pandor, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Co-operation at the Botswana-South Africa Business Forum.
She said, “There is great room for future growth in the area of outward investment, the creation of industrial value chains, and infrastructure development.”
Landlocked Botswana has over the last 28 years experienced a negative trade balances with South Africa. The negative trade balances runs into billions of Pula for each year.
Officials revealed that between 2017 and 2021, Botswana exported to South Africa goods worth P31 billion, while it imported goods worth P210 billion.
This means that, on average, Botswana is importing P42 billion and exporting only P6 billion worth of goods per annum. The products Botswana exports include diamonds, beef, soda ash, and those it imports include cereals, vehicles, and beverages, just to mention a few.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi, said “I must state that my Government is committed to developing value chains to unlock opportunities for new and existing companies in the private sector. We intend to identify new sectors from the regional and continental product space, which can successfully be wholly produced or grown in the country to form part 6 of the value chain.”
He said, “These will result in significant job creation, especially for the young people, while also driving the much-needed export diversification, to support our aspirations of an export-led economy.
Many South Africans passed through Botswana during the struggle for liberation, and in October we will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the ANC Lobatse Conference, which was the first ANC conference held outside of South Africa in 1962.
During the early 1960s, a number of South Africans crossed the border into Botswana to escape the brutal oppression of the apartheid regime. These included Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, Ronnie Kasrils, and Mosie Moolla.
ANC cadres were housed by citizens of Botswana, oftentimes in the home of Fish Keitseng who in the early years hid Mandela in the mountains. Pandor revealed that Madiba would spend his days reading, and at night come down from the mountains to the home of Keitseng.
Batswana also played a significant role in helping freedom fighters from South Africa’s liberation movement to cross the border from Botswana into neighbouring countries. Not once did Batswana police hand African National Congress(ANC) cadres back to the apartheid police.
“We would like to use this opportunity to thank the Batswana for their contribution to our struggle for liberation,” said Pandor.
South African officials maintained that efforts have already begun through Trade Ministers from both neighbourly countries to align their plans towards a common SACU plan of action for operationalising the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“The joint export promotion platforms that are being discussed at SACU level for leveraging AfCFTA trade opportunities are promising,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa at the South Africa-Botswana Business Roundtable in Gaborone Thursday.
He said, “I am also pleased to note that work is underway in SACU on a Work Programme on Industrialisation to promote industrial development and regional value chains, export promotion, investment attraction and promotion,” said
Ramaphosa maintained that work is already underway on leather and leather products, fresh produce, meat and meat products, textiles, clothing, cosmetics and essential oils.
Botswana and South Africa have often been at odds recently on the SACU revenue sharing formula with many exhibitors at Forum arguing the exercise was a great networking opportunity.
“We have been able to interact with local companies to explore opportunities to develop tailor made tourism packages for clients. We are a tourism destination management company,” said Lesego Dibuleleng, Director of AfriGetaway.
She said, “Budget tours can also be developed for smaller budgets but still generating the same experience. We help people to discover hidden gems of Botswana.”
