Rise of Botswana’s Textile Sector

otswana’s textile and apparel industry is on the rise, thanks to interventions such as Debswana’s Textile Accelerator Programme and restrictions on importation of school uniforms. The president Botswana Textiles and Clothing Association (BTCA), Banusi Mbaakanyi, told The Business Weekly & Review that recently the industry has been undergoing stimulation. Even so, the rise of the industry faces challenges of shortage of skilled labour that is made worse by lack of a database at a crucial time of its rebirth. “We are currently seeing a resurgence of the industry in a mushrooming of garment factories,” Mbaakanyi said in an interview. Mbaakanyi said the recent developments have given the industry a renewed hope not only to produce for the local market but to export its products as well. [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type="show" ihc_mb_who="1,2,3,4" ihc_mb_template="1" ] She believes the pace of resurgence would be higher if the Gaborone-based Textile and Clothing Institute of Botswana was not under-utilised to upskill the industry’s labour. “It was supposed to complement skills offered by brigades and other vocational institutions,” she said. In Mbaakanyi’s estimation, the industry could easily employ 10,000 people if the right skills were available and TCIB was upgrading people continually. “As it is we are competing with Ipelegeng, cleaning firms and security companies,” she said. Considerable impetus for growth has come from the decision of the government to impose restrictions on importation of school uniforms through the Control of Goods, Prices and Other Charges Act 2003. Mbbakanyi said there is an increase in membership of BTCA that reflects the resurgence of the industry. “It is important that we see growth in our membership so that we can talk with one voice and develop sustainable value chains,” she said, adding that her organisation is now 60 strong. Because of this, manufacturers can position themselves to take advantage of the African Continent Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). This is the world’s biggest free trade area that brings together the 55 countries of the African Union and eight regional economic blocs across the continent. The mandate of the AfCFTA is to create a single continental market that has a population of about 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of approximately US$3.4 trillion. As part of its mandate, AfCFTA aims to eliminate trade barriers and boost intra-Africa trade. In particular, it is to advance trade in value-added production across all service sectors of the African economy. Mbaakanyi has urged local manufacturers to prepare to tap into the export market. It is important, she said, as imports from other countries come into Botswana, products from Botswana are exported to other countries in order to achieve a healthy balance of trade. One of the programmes that Mabaakanyi credits for the revival of the sector is Textile Accelerator. In this programme, Debswana has partnered with Tokafala Enterprise Development which targets 34 textile operators for making Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Speaking at the Debswana Business Seminar last week, the Head of Corporate Affairs at Debswana, Rachel Mothibatsela, disclosed that the mining giant has purchased PPEs worth P4.8 million from these manufacturers to-date. “Because we don’t want them to depend on Debswana only, we have now triggered a market access and enterprise development programme and are at various stages with a number of entities,” she said. So far, Botash, Flamingo School, Khoemacaau, Pep Stores, Sefalana and Pick n Pay are at various stages of engagement with Debswana so that these 34 textile operators can provide them with different items of apparel. Mothibatsela said between them these companies, they have created just over 400 jobs and are on track to scale up to 1 000 jobs by 2024. [/ihc-hide-content][ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type="show" ihc_mb_who="1,2,3,4" ihc_mb_template="1" ][/ihc-hide-content]

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Rise of Botswana’s Textile Sector

Botswana’s textile and clothing sector has been on a sickbed for years now. However, everything points to an industry springing back to life and promising to create much-needed jobs

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Rise of Botswana’s Textile Sector

Botswana’s textile and clothing sector has been on a sickbed for years now. However, everything points to an industry springing back to life and promising to create much-needed jobs

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