Retailers sue Govt over School Uniform Import Ban

Clothing retail stores, among them PEP Botswana and Ackermans Botswana, went to court this week to sue the Ministry of Trade and Industry over its restrictions on importation of school uniforms. According to court papers before Justice Reuben Lekorwe, the retailers were prompted by government’s refusal to grant them a fifth waiver to continue importing uniforms into the country. [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type="show" ihc_mb_who="1,2,3,4" ihc_mb_template="3" ] This was after the retailers were granted waivers at least four times by the ministry upon the restrictions on importation of school uniform came into effect on 24 September 2021. Papers before the court show that the first waiver started on November 2021 and the last one ended in August 2022. The court papers also indicate that the retailers requested a fifth waiver but were turned down, hence their decision to approach the court to seek redress. The court heard that while an application launched by PEP Botswana was before Justice Lekorwe, another application related to the same matter was before Justice Tshepo Motswagole. Justice Lekorwe subsequently directed that the two applications be consolidated. The case continues. Meanwhile, when speaking at a school uniform manufactures workshop on Tuesday this week, the Acting Minister of Trade and Industry, Beauty Manake, revealed that, local manufacturers have on many occasions approached “my ministry raising concerns about accessing the local market and requesting us to impose border restrictions”. She said local manufacturers were concerned that “we imported textiles and footwear valued at an average of P1.5 billion annually while we exported only P160 million worth of textiles”. Said the Minister Manake: “Hence the manufacturing sector only contributes an annual average of 5 percent to our GDP (a severe trade imbalance and a concern that needs action).” According to the minister, a statutory instrument on the restriction of the importation of school uniforms was published in the Government Gazette of 24 September 2021 after the government assessed Botswana’s capacity and thorough engagement with all stakeholders. This instrument, she said, aims to support the local textile and clothing industry by ensuring procurement of school unforms from local manufactures. Manake noted that school uniforms were identified some of the products to promote active citizen participation and sustainability of SMMES. “Following the introduction of the statutory instrument, my ministry has been inclusive and forthcoming in facilitating school uniform importers to ensure that their businesses are not interrupted,” she said. “We have now reached a point where we want to see concrete and symbolic business relations with our local uniform manufacturers and retailers,” she said “Let me emphasise that we subscribe to an open market economy where consumers choose products to consume. However, we also hold a strong view that local industries need to be supported by retailers for them to grow and be competitive in an open economy.” “And we are doing that without an apology, for we cannot continue creating employment and industrialisation opportunities for others while our nation struggles. “We can no longer afford to consume what we do not produce and produce what we do not consume.” “We harness and develop school uniform manufacturing toward local capacity maximisation through value chain development. She spoke of “an efficient and transparent ecosystem where we manufacture and establish numerous forward linkages in the form of big retailers, schools, government entities such as the Department of Social Services and anyone who wants to fit within the value chain”. [/ihc-hide-content]

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Retailers sue Govt over School Uniform Import Ban

Minister Beauty Manake set the tone for the government position recently thus: “We cannot continue creating employment and industrialisation opportunities for others while our nation struggles.”

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Retailers sue Govt over School Uniform Import Ban

Minister Beauty Manake set the tone for the government position recently thus: “We cannot continue creating employment and industrialisation opportunities for others while our nation struggles.”

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