inBUSINESS Issue 15

OCTOBER 2017 | ISSUE 15 | www.inbusiness.co.bw
OCTOBER 2017 | ISSUE 15 Inspiring the Entreprenuer Botswana InBusiness Magazine
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The Ga-Siko Lad at the Helm of PPC Botswana - Page 14
COMMUNITY: General Masire Celebrates Birthday with Kasi Children-Page 50

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www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017

CIVIL ENGINEERING
& ROAD WORKS
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
PLANT HIRE
Since its establishment in 2000, Bash Carriers has undertaken major road development in Botswana and has
expanded in to the Zambian and South African market. Because of our commitment to delivery of service,
we only acquire the best in plant and equipment putting precedence on the latest technologies and
innovation. Through our most valued asset being our personnel and staff, Bash Carriers brings together a
wealth of international knowledge and experience in the construction industry to ensure perfect delivery of
projects.
Construction is our business in Southern Africa
HEAD OFFICE BOTSWANA
Plot 17849 Kudumatse Road, GWest Industrial, Gaborone, Private Bag Br 177,Gaborone ,Botswana
Tel: +267 393 7018 Fax: +267 393 7063 Email: obasiami@bash.co.bw Web:www.bash.co.bw
MASUNGA SITE OFFICE
Masunga Ward,Masunga,Botswana
Tel: +267 2982272
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 3
Find us on: www.bash.co.bw
BashCarriers

CONTENTS
IN THIS ISSUED
05 | EDITORIAL COMMENT
• Sketches of Bontleng: A Tribute
12
06 | NEWS
• Orange Launches International Money Card
• WUC, FNBB announce Seamless Customer Service
• De Beers, Stanford University unveil Programme for Regional
Prosperity
• DJ S’bu: A Perfect Storm was His Best Moment
• Africa Conflict and Crisis: The Ticking Time Bomb in Nigeria
• Bayport-ABC Golf Day ‘A Swing of Success’
• Trade, Leisure Industry Supersede Mining
14 | COVER STORY
• TUELO BOTLHOLE: The Ga-Siko Lad at the Helm of PPC
18 | ANALYSIS
• Donald Trump’s Plot Against America
• 16 Years after 9/11
22 | YOUTH IN BUSINESS
• Swimming With the Blue Whales
16
30
38
26 | ENTREPRISE
• Desmelima: The Spick and Span B&B that Aims to go countrywide
• The Ass’s Milk Is an Elixir!
28 | ECONOMY
• China Holds the Key to Botswana’s Diamonds
30 | HEALTH
• Cancer Therapy In the Sands of the Kgalagadi
32| TOURISM
• Zim Tourism Body Visits Botswana For Benchmarking
34 | TECHNOLOGY
• How to charge your devices the right way
38 | LIFESTYLE
• FOOD
• BOOK REVIEW
44 | MOTORING
• Audi RS3 Sedan: Good things come to those who wait
46 | SPORTS
• A Night Full of Cheers for Chess
• Tshenyego Swept the BNOC Stakes
• Botswana Successfully Hosts Mxoan
•
50 | COMMUNITY
• General Masire Celebrates Birthday with Kasi Children
46
DISCLAIMER:Many contributing writers to inBusiness are experts from various fields serving and providing advice to our readers in their individual capacities.
That advice is the expert’s own and he/she is solely responsible for the information and opinions that he/she expresses. These experts may have interests in particular
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limited to - claims for defamation, error, loss of data or interruption in its availability arising from use of such advice.
4
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017

EDITORIAL
OCTOBER 2017
Sketches of Bontleng: A Tribute
EDITORIAL
EDITOR
Douglas B. Tsiako
NEWS EDITOR
Tuduetso Tebape
WRITERS
Malebogo Ratladi
Raymond Moremi
Ononofile Lonkokile
MARKETING & ADVERTISING
Bone Letlole
Disoso J. Pheto
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Nkagisang T. Molefhe
PHOTOGRAPHY
Baagedi Setlhora
CONTRIBUTORS
Alpha Molatlhwe
Mosah Mokganedi
Modiri Mogende
Arnold Letsholo
Pearl Motsie
ADMINISTRATION
GENERAL MANAGER
Babetsha J. Paphane
PUBLISHER’S PA
Disoso J. Pheto
ADMIN OFFICER
Leah Nkobedi
CONTACTS
Plot 22148, Unit 12A, Gaborone West
Industrial, P O Box AD9ACJ, Gaborone,
T +267 3191 401 F +267 3191 400
info@inbusinessbw.com
inbusinessbw.com
Scan QR Code Below to download
our contacts to your mobile phone
We present in this edition what can only be sketches of Bontleng in snippets of time
during which the gallant people of this twilight township, many of them wrestling with
Faith and struggling with poverty, remained firm in their support for the liberation
of southern Africa from minority white regimes that held their captive populations in bondage and
constant harassment.
But more than any other struggle, it was the campaign against apartheid South Africa that
commanded the attention of this township. Perhaps it is little wonder that this was so because while a
myriad of unpalatable stereotypes is used to ‘characterise’ the underprivileged, one objective attribute
that they possess is empathy for others in similar circumstances or worse and a readiness to help
inspite of their own conditions .
Apartheid was a diabolical system whose far-reaching consequences - by design and in effect –
truncated people’s potential while exploiting their labour and resources to advance the myth of white
supremacy. It had no regard for the territorial integrity of countries or sovereignty of nations. To
countries that had the temerity to declare themselves democratic and characterise themselves as multiracial,
apartheid responded with an intense resentment that it unleashed in hostile actions.
Botswana was one such country that bore the brunt of this malice. An economically hapless nation
that depended almost entirely on daily imports of especially consumer goods from apartheid South
Africa, there were times when mealie-meal contained pulverized glass, safety matches were withheld
and tea leaves had fecal matter. This is to say nothing of the spying and acts of terror that escalated
over time to brazen raids on refugees and their hosts. Those who don’t know may be surprised to learn
that as recently as the 1970s, petty apartheid was the order of the day at hotels and other such public
establishments in this insouciantly multi-racial republic even as the colours of its striped banner were
accordingly black and white and depicted blue for rain and peace.
But perhaps it is little wonder that the people of Bontleng were predisposed to the anti-apartheid
struggle also because the two leading countries of the so-called civilised world, the United States and
the United Kingdom, as well as the Zionist state of Israel, were determined that the apartheid regime
would remain a bulwark of what was left of Jim Crow and slavery, as well as serve as the staging post for
a reversal of what leading Western countries saw as Soviet expansionism in Southern Africa.
Ours is a belated ode to the so-called Great Unwashed of the township who, as the tribute says,
did not need any highfalutin lecture that the United Nations, or League of Nation before it, expected
governments of third countries and their citizens to extend “men, materials and territory” to legitimate
liberation movements. Of course, they were not the only ones who did this. So too did the people
of Peleng in Lobatse whose township was home to Nelson Mandela on his frequent journeys to and
from Morocco and Algeria, first in 1961, to undergo crucial military training with the Algerian
Liberation Front before he launched Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the ANC. Among
other outstanding lioberation icons, Peleng was also home to Samora Machel of Mozambique. It is for
this reason that, alongside other people and organisations, Peleng occupies a pride of place in efforts of
the National Museum and Art Gallery to chart the Liberation Route as a monument to the liberation
struggles of the peoples of southern Africa.
Nevertheless, inBusiness pays this tribute to the people of Bontleng because of something that
happened there on July 21st this year, fortuitously linking the township to a similar place in South
Africa that the apartheid regime of Johannes Strijdom razed to the ground after forcibly removing
its inhabitants – a veritable fortress of multi-racialism and hardihood in which almost all population
groups were present - to ethnic quarters in and around Johannesburg in 1955. We refer to Sophiatown,
otherwise known as Kofifi, where an effort is currently underway to resettle the place and bring it back
to life in the fashion of its former self, albeit retro style.
The event that made this connection – almost certainly unwittingly – took place at Bontleng’s Kofifi
Park. A charity founded and led by General Masire (rtd), THC Foundation, entertained 50 children
from the township there on the auspicious occasion of his birthday on July 21. But more importantly,
we pay tribute to the people of Bontleng because as a result of their efforts, liberation eventually came
to South Africa and Batswana are no longer in danger of eating poisoned food.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 5

NEWS
Displaying the new Orange Mooney Card, Ms Madiba, Ms Abram and Mr Pilane
Orange Launches International Money Card
Words: Malebogo Ratladi
Orange Botswana recently
launched a new and improved
money card that is accepted
internationally for Orange
users travelling outside
Botswana. The revamped Orange Money
Visa Card comes in a new design that
features chip and pin functionality.
However, the new card will co-exist with
the one that has been in use since 2013 when
it was first introduced. Both cards are in
partnership with Visa Inc.
Speaking at the launch in Gaborone,
the Director of Orange Money, Seabelo
Pilane, said the evolution of the card was
in line with Orange’s continued endeavour
to promote financial inclusion and bring
financial services closer to Batswana.
“This is an opportune time for Orange
to introduce this card as the current card
has performed very well in the market and
continues to do so, competing with cards
issued by local banks,” Pilane noted.
He added that at June 2016, Orange
Money Visa cards accounted for 24% of
debit cards in the Botswana market, saying
he expected this figure to grow with the
introduction of the new and enhanced card.
From the beginning of the cellphone
network service provider’s partnership with
Visa Inc., Orange Money has afforded over
530 000 subscribers the opportunity to
participate in financial transactions.
“Orange Money contributes to Batswana’s
everyday wellbeing, especially in the case of
customers without bank accounts,” Pilane
said.
Orange would always take pride in the
fact that it was still the only mobile network
operator that offers a card linked to a mobile
money wallet, he stated.
WUC, FNBB announce Seamless Customer Service
6
Words: Malebogo Ratladi
Water Utilities Corporation
(WUC) and First National
Bank Botswana (FNBB)
recently announced a partnership known
as the Self-Service platform that allows
customers to access WUC services using
their cellphones.
Said WUC’s chief executive Mmetla
Masire at a media briefing: “Users can also
report issues such as leakages and enquire
on outstanding bill statements.”
Masire described the development as
a milestone that marks a transition from
offering over-the-counter transactions
to seamless self-service at the customer’s
convenience.
“For me, this empowers water users
with the much-needed unlimited access to
WUC,” he said.
For his part, the chief executive
of FNBB Steven Bogatsu said the
partnership between FNB and WUC
provides WUC with a cost-effective
revenue collection system by bridging the
gap between the payee and the payer.
“From a management accounting
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017
perspective, it will also be easy for WUC
to reconcile bill payments, a development
we are proud to be a part of,” he said.
To use the Self Service Platform,
customers are required to disclose their
card number, their card verification value
(CVV) number, the card expiry date, as
well as the customer’s contract numbers.
On mobile devises, the service is
available through Code *186# and is
accessible across all cellular networks by
all WUC customers regardless of the bank
they use. The service is also available on
the WUC website at www.wuc.bw.

De Beers, Stanford University unveil Programme
for Regional Prosperity
Words: Tuduetso Tebape
De Beers Group has invested
$3 million in a three-year
partnership with Stanford
Graduate School of Business
(GSB) to create jobs, diversify
economies and increase regional
prosperity, inBusiness has established.
This is to be achieved by empowering
entrepreneurs and business owners in
Botswana and other southern African
countries where the Stanford Seed
Transformation and the Stanford Go-To
Market programmes are being rolled out.
The announcement was made at a
briefing of to an eager audience of aspiring
entrepreneurs, established business
owners and corporate executives at the
Grand Palm in Gaborone recently.
Giving an overview of De Beers’ incountry
socio-economic development
and the impact it has had on Botswana,
the Vice President of Corporate Affairs
at De Beers Global Sightholders, Pat
Dambe, said De Beers was embarking on
this project with Stanford GSB in an effort
to solidify its positive economic impact
on the countries in which it operates.
A press release signed by Bruce
Cleaver quotes the CEO of the De
Beers Group as saying: “Economic
diversification and youth employment
opportunities are priorities for our
government partners and are priorities
for the De Beers Group as well. We
all believe these two programmes, in
partnership with a world-renowned
educational institution, have an excellent
potential to help accelerate diversification
and stimulate more opportunities for the
youth and ambitious southern Africans.”
Another media release was attributed
to Jesper Sorensen, who is the Director
of Stanford Seed and Professor of
Organisational Behaviour at Stanford
School of Business in a media release.
“We are excited to
work with the young
and established
entrepreneurs in the
southern African
region through this
collaboration”
“As with our experiences in East and
West Africa, we are coming to learn as
much as we will teach. If the business and
job growth that follows matches what are
seeing in other locations, I anticipate this
will be a very impactful initiative.”
Run by Stanford GSB faculty and
Seed-Trained facilitators, the Seed
Transformation Programme is a year-long
leadership programme that will provide
management training, leadership team
workshops and valuable networking
support. The details of the programme
and its qualification requirements were
given by Stanford GSB’s Director of
Global Operations, Stanford Seed Jeffery
Prickett.
He explained that businesses with a
minimum annual turnover of P100 000
are eligible. “We are looking for 20 of
the strongest businesses and business
leaders in Botswana, Namibia and
South Africa,” he said, adding that the
programme aims to bolster economic
diversity in the southern African region.
Prickett also gave a brief insight into
the Standford Go-To Market programme
that will be rolled out in 2018. “There is
no revenue or leadership requirement,”
he said. “So aspiring entrepreneurs (aged)
between 18 and 35 can look forward to
next March when this programme will start.
We will have a more detailed presentation
on the Go-To Market Transformational
programme at a later date.”
Through the Go-To Market programme,
which is a one-week intensive
entrepreneurship boot camp taught by
Stanford GSB faculty who will be based at
Botswana Innovation Hub for the duration
of the programme, 50 entrepreneurs stand
a chance to benefit from this valuable
programme.
During the question and answer
segment, the CEO of FNBB Steven
Bogatsu commended De Beers for
contributing towards entrepreneurial
development in Botswana.
Picture: Solly Cannon
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 7

NEWS
DJ S’bu: A Perfect Storm
was His Best Moment
Renamed Mofaya at Boipuso Hall in Gabs recently, the lad who produced the enigmatic hooded
performer known only as Mzekezeke is now giving the world an energy drink whose market success
is imitating the record sales of his chartbusters. But S’bu had to learn from his mistakes as a recordbreaking
spendthrift, writes ONONOFILE LONKOKILE
Sibusiso Leope’s overzealous
efforts to promote his energy
drink, MoFaya, were always
going to get him into trouble
because he could not resist ‘ambushing’
events that he saw as a marketing
platform with a huge audience. DJ Sbu, as
the media personality-cum- entrepreneur
is popularly known, was suspended and
eventually fired from Metro FM after he
promoted his energy drink during the
station's music awards broadcast live on
SABC 1 in 2015.
But he regrets nothing of the gamble.
“It was a calculated move,” he told an
enrapt audience at the recent youth expo
in Gaborone. “I knew that there was a
massive audience of 18 million and it was
the perfect opportunity to sell my energy
drink. I knew that the worst case scenario
would be getting fired, and I did get fired.
But it was worth the risk. The point is that
advertising is a war of attention in which
whoever gets the most attention wins.”
8
In S’Bu’s view, risk stands side by side
with entrepreneurship. It entailed risk
when he and a friend decided to form a
record company, TS Records, in 2001. He
tells the story of how Thembinkosi ‘TK’
Nciza had to sell his car when the money
fell short. “To sell his car was a spur of the
moment decision that he went through
with so we could pursue our dream,” S’bu
recalls.
TS Records soon became a household
name in the cutthroat world of recording
music and the money started rolling in.
It was this outfit that unveiled Afro-soul
sensation Bulelwa Mkutukana, better
known as Zahara, who burst onto the
scene with “Loliwe,” the mournful, yet
joyous chartbuster that resonated with
every hurting heart and hopeful soul
across the Bantu world of southern Africa
in 2011. When the hit single went platinum
in 13 days and double platinum after 17
days, S’bu and ‘TK’ knew they had a
treasure in their stable.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017
But there had been a veritable fairytale
in Brown Dash, aka Siphiwe Mpamile,
whose debut album “Sguqa Ngamadolo”
had gone double platinum in 2002 after
being dismissed by critics as trash.
Although famous for the 2003 hit song
“Puff and Pass,” Brown Dash had gained
instant fame when he hit the stage with
an enigmatic hooded performer the year
before. More than any other, these two
artists ushered S’bu into a new world of
plenitude.
However, swimming in new money
and swathed in new leather, he became
a spendthrift, squandering much lettuce
on luxury cars, epicurean delights at
upmarket restaurants and rendezvous
at select places of entertainment. He
admits to this but notes that learning from
mistakes is “the most important thing that
an entrepreneur can do”.
The 38-year old knows the significance
of branding to marketing and how
achieving a distinct mark will separate the
men from the boys.
“As a matter of fact, branding
is not that costly,” he says. “Once
the brand is established, use your
time wisely, especially on social
media. And that is not expensive
either.”
A master craftsman with interactive
presentations, he steers the dialogue to
one of his most outstanding creations,
the mysterious Mzekezeke whose identity
to this day remains a fool’s game because
the kwaito artist still goes on stage with
his face covered in a balaclava to thrill
Continued to Page 11

NEWS
Bayport-ABC Golf Day
‘A Swing of Success’
Words: Malebogo Ratladi
Golfers, businesspeople
and non-golfers took to
the outdoors for some
networking and a little fun
at the American Business Council’s
second Annual Golf Day that was
held at Gaborone Golf Club on
September 8.
Pioneered by the American
Business Council in Botswana
(ABC) and chiefly sponsored by
Bayport Financial Services, the main
purpose of the event was to facilitate
networking between ABC members
and their clients, as well as raise
funds for charity.
The event was an opportune
platform for players and sponsors
to take part in a relaxed round of
golf at the picturesque and relatively
flat Gaborone Golf Club, which is a
favourite site for visiting golfers.
The sun was shining bright for
teeing off as the golfers made their
way out for the shotgun start. This
was heralded by the Vice President
of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi,
who graced the event and conducted
the ceremonial tee off from Hole
Number 1.
But golf is not listed among the
pastimes of the VP. As a matter fact,
prior to hitting the opening shot the
closest Masisi had come to a round
of golf was never. It was therefore
little surprising that the air was
suddenly redolent with wonderment
when he proved himself to be a
natural. From his first swing of the
golf club, which was packed with
power yet subtle, to the composure
he kept throughout, Masisi
effortlessly kept cheering onlookers
agog.
Following this, players descended
on the golf course to enjoy a
full day of holes which were
activated by various sponsors and
partners. The day concluded with
a successful prize-giving ceremony
over a delectable buffet dinner at
the Avani Gaborone Resort and
Casino. This annual event has now
become a key feature on everyone’s
golfing calendar, thanks to ABC for
executing every aspect of the event
successfully.
ABC is a non-profit organisation
which was formally registered in
August 1994 as a company limited
by guarantee under the laws of
Botswana. One of its key objectives
is to foster investment and trading
relationships and to strengthen
commercial ties between the US and
Botswana.
Commenting on the event, the
Chairman of ABC Vikash Ponangi
expressed gratitude to people
who had worked hard to bring the
event together and ensured that it
was a success. He noted that the
proceeds made from the event would
be donated to various charities
in accordance with what is fast
becoming custom.
“I am pleased to announce that
out of today’s proceeds, P10 000 will
also be donated to a worthy business
development organisation of His
Honour Mokgweetsi Masisi’s choice
together with other donations that
we shall be making from today’s
proceeds,” Vikash said.
“It’s also my singular honour and
privilege to announce that the third
edition of the American Business
Council Golf Day shall be held in July
2018 and that His Honour the Vice
President (and by then obviously
His Honour’s title will be slightly
different), shall be our guest golfer
and will play a full round of golf with
us as he takes up the sport of golf.”
Vikash took the opportunity to
thank all sponsors and partners
that contributed towards the event,
among them Bayport Financial
Services, Aon Botswana and Avani
Hotel.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 9

Trade, Leisure Industry
Supersede Mining
DJ S’bu: A Perfect Storm
was His Best Moment
Continued From Page 8
At 20.9%, trade, hotels
and restaurants are now
the biggest contributor
to the GDP, surpassing
the mining sector
which is at 17%, a quarterly report from
stock brokerage Motswedi Security has
revealed.
10
Words: Ononofile Lonkokile
“The resilience
of the non-mining
sector shows that
there is hope in
diversification,” says
the report. “The
economy is slowly
moving away from
the dependence in
diamonds.”
Even so, the closure of the BCL Mine
in Selebi-Phikwe has had undesirable
effects on the economy at large, with the
latest GDP numbers showing that the
economy expanded at a smaller 0.8% yearon-year
during the first quarter of 2017
compared to 4.2% last year.
“(But) the recently released Bank of
Botswana Business Expectations Survey
is encouraging as optimism among
businesses strengthened in the first half
of 2017 compared to the second half of
2016, and is expected to rise further in the
survey horizon for both domestic market
-oriented firms and exports,” the report
continues.
It goes on to say the performance of
the economy will continue to be affected
by factors such as the performance of the
global economy, particularly developed
markets which have a bearing on the
diamond industry. Continued growth is
expected from agriculture, tourism and
financial services sectors, with 3.1% yearon-year
GDP forecast by December 2017.
Borrowing in the property sector at
record lows and opportunities are few
and far between, while the retail segment
is heavily saturated in urban centres,
pushing developers to the fringes as they
seek returns. Highly populated semiurban
villages with purchasing power or
near enough to cities for a commute seem
to be the ideal target development areas.
Residential properties are struggling
on the high end of the market amid a
slowing economy while there are few
barriers to entry on the lower end,
allowing for multiple entrants and
competition.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017
audiences with twirling romps from inside baggy
overalls. This is the enigmatic hooded performer
who stimulates S’bu to laugh when asked if he
is not ‘the one.’
“Anyway,” he continues, clearly pleased with
himself, “we had used other people‘s brands
for too long. It was time we had our own. I was
15 years old when South Africa obtained its
freedom in 1994. My generation is therefore
from the cusp of liberation and oppression,
which gives us a special duty to keep the fire
of revolution alive against the backdrop of the
ignominious past.”
At this point, S’bu makes another reference
to lessons learnt: “There are no shortcuts in
life. I say this because I know that patience and
resilience are venerable virtues. Things may
seem impossible at first because the challenges
look insurmountable. But if you fail, you must
get up, dust yourself and keep on keeping on.
That is the journey of an entrepreneur. And
being an entrepreneur is not just a moneymaking
scheme. Making money it is a bonus,
but having a business that outlives you is what
an entrepreneur should envision.”
The presentation returns to his energy drink,
MoFaya, which S’bu first launched offshore in
London and Birmingham in 2016. He says sales
for the drink that comes in different flavours are
expanding globally. Mofaya is available all over
southern Africa, including Botswana where it
retails for P10 to P12 for a 300ml bottle.
"I launched MoFaya in the UK with the idea
of distributing mainly to the relatively small
African population in that country,” he explains.
“I am happy to inform you that we have gone
from distributing one pallet of MoFaya a month
at the beginning to 10 pallets today. It may not
be exponential growth, but it cannot be called
slow."
A hall packed with ambitious young
entrepreneurs and wannabees listened in awe
to the iconic celebrity whom many there had
seen only in magazines and on TV. S’bu left
the podium with a message of encouragement:
“Take a leap of faith,” he said. “Take that risk and
you will never regret it!” Enrapt, the audience
responded with chants of “Mofaya,” “Mofaya!”

www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 11

INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Black Man as a Cash Crop
What is America’s largest
cash crop? Well, some
might say: Wheat or
corn or marijuana or
something like that. However, the largest
cash crop in America is Black Americans.
The growing of Black-Americans for profit
is one of the great business success stories in
world history.
All cash crops are designed to produce
a profit by providing a consumer with
a product that he will pay the grower to
produce. In America, White American
farmers have raised Black Americangrowing
into an art form. A well-grown
Black American is a sure criminal.
Black American-growing is very easy as
crops go. All that is required to raise Black
Americans is some land that can be turned
into a rat, roach and disease infested slum
(aka inner city).
To help insure that Black Americans
grow quickly into a criminal crop, the
farmers of Black Americans created a
special type of fertilizer called welfare,
which gives enough nutrients and other
growth aids to produce record criminal
crops each year. However, the real secret to
the success of Black American-growing is a
special ingredient that all Black American
growers use: drugs.
Drugs, especially cocaine, heroin, crackcocaine
and other such additives are the key
to insuring that the crop will grow to its full
criminal potential.
When the Black American has developed
to a certain size, the final growing process
is implemented to give the crop its
potency: This process is a collection of crop
enhancers such as little or no education,
no jobs or dead-end jobs, and a constant
reinforcement of the principle that Black
Americans are inferior, as crops go.
Now, who benefits from this cash crop?
It’s the entire criminal justice system (CJS).
Together this collection of police, lawyers,
judges, jails, prisons, federal agencies,
Democrats, Republicans, social workers,
and many others who make up or support
the CJS represent millions of Americans
and hundreds of billions of dollars a year
in income as they address America’s Black
criminal problem.
The monies spent to grow, arrest,
prosecute, and jail Black Americans is
greater than the budget for any other
governmental agency, including our
combined defense budget. The profits from
Black American-growing makes the total
profits from the Fortune 500 companies
look like chump change.
If drugs were made legal tomorrow, the
resulting reduction in the crime rate would
throw America into a major depression as
millions of people associated with Black
American imprisonment would be out of
work. If you think the downsizing of our
military-industrial complex took a hit when
communism was no longer a major threat,
just imagine what would happen should
crime no longer be a problem.
As Black Americans are essential for
crime, the crop will be maintained in its
current format. The drugs will remain
illegal. This is very important since the
drugs with Welfare are the main ingredients
for a good healthy Black American crop.
This is what some Black Americangrowers
recently commented: “You can’t just
let Black Americans grow by themselves.
If left to their own devices, they quickly
overtake and become dominant in whatever
field they are planted. Heck, just look at
sports. Used to be all white, then they
planted a few Black Americans - now Black
Americans dominate most major sports.
Whatever those Black Americans try to do
they always excel at it and that is bad news
for White Americans. So proper growing of
Black-Americans is essential for a healthy,
prosperous White America.”
To help insure that Black Americans
will continue to be America’s cash crop
of choice, drug lords the world over give
hundreds of millions of dollars each year to
Republican and Democratic political leaders
and thousands upon thousands of federal,
state, and local law enforcement types to
make sure that they continue to fight on
behalf of the American Black Americangrowers
by attacking drug legalisation as a
threat to America, when in reality it is only a
threat to the financial wellbeing of them and
their fellow Black American-growers and
supporters of the CJS.
And finally, our government in
Washington will do all it can to continue
to create, fund, and promote Welfare,
substandard housing, low-paying, dead-end
jobs, inferior public education, the war-ondrugs,
and anything else they can do to help
keep the Black American-crop growing so
millions of White Americans can reap the
benefits it provides for them.
(This article was first published in alt.
society.liberalism on 12/28/1997, xona@
primenet.com)
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Africa Conflict and Crisis:
The Ticking Time Bomb in Nigeria
‘Alarming’ levels of malnutrition and famine-like conditions in north-east Nigeria. Credit:
UN Photo
By Cheick Ba on 27/07/2017
to 2 million people have fled their homes,
The conflict between Nigeria’s armed including 200 000 who sought safety in
forces and Boko Haram has created a neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
man-made famine in the country, and
The violence was the first thing Nigerians
experts stipulate that it will only get feared for their lives. Now they fear famine.
worse.
Northeast Nigeria is inching closer than
ever to mass starvation. The food crisis is
MAIDUGURI CITY, NIGERIA: In the dusty getting alarmingly worse, with food security
arid town of Dikwa, tens of thousands of experts predicting it to deteriorate even
Nigerians queue for hours in sweltering 40 further.
degree heat for water. Fatuma is one of 100 Experts forecast a rise in the number of
000 people displaced in the Borno State people facing crisis, emergency and famine
town, the epicentre of Nigeria’s conflict. She conditions from 4.7 million to 5.2 million
sifts through remnants of food aid seeds, in northeast Nigeria. This includes 50 000
drying them out to prepare them to eat. Food people likely to be affected by ‘famine-like’
is a scarcity here. Fatuma used to live on conditions, according to the latest United
three meals a day. Today she is happy if aid Nations Global Early Warning report.
agencies can provide her with a single meal. Declaring famine has serious implications
Dikwa’s food crisis is mirrored throughout for countries to step up and take action. It
the conflict-stricken northeast where the rings international alarm bells. But lack of
armed group, Boko Haram, has been brutally access to some communities caught up in
fighting to enforce strict Islamic Sharia law Nigeria’s conflict means the exact number
since 2009.
of people dying of hunger is impossible to
The Nigerian government launched a confirm. Regardless, the threat of famine is
military operation in 2015 to flush the jihadist upon the country.
group out. An estimated 20 000 people
Armed conflict and violence are driving this
have been killed due to the violence. Close food crisis. Insecurity is preventing people
from farming in many areas, and restricting
access to local markets. This is depleting
grain stocks and pushing food prices beyond
people’s reach. It is having devastating
consequences for affected families, including
450 000 acutely malnourished children.
The May to August lean season is just
past in Nigeria. This is a period when food
production is traditionally low and families
rely on what they have stockpiled from more
plentiful times. With many farmers unable
to cultivate their land for up to three years
already, families have little reserves to draw
from.
Inflation caused by currency depreciation
is compounding the situation further. Conflict
areas are experiencing prices about 150%
higher than in 2015, according to the United
Nations.
My organisation, the Norwegian Refugee
Council, was forced to reduce the food
basket we provide to families this month in
order to make up for the increased price of
rice beans and millet. It is a heart-breaking
decision to make, but the alternative is to
feed fewer people.
Despite the worsening food crisis, donor
countries have only contributed 28% of the
money needed to provide the most basic
humanitarian assistance this year. More
visible crises like the war in Syria and Iraq
garner so much international attention, there
is less space for countries like Nigeria to get
the same attention. As a result, donor dollars
go elsewhere.
But while providing people with food
saves lives, it is only a short-term solution.
The crisis will only end when the conflict has
been resolved, and communities can safely
return to their land to rebuild their lives.
This is a man-made conflict that needs a
man-made solution.
• Cheick Ba is the Norwegian Refugee
Council country director in Nigeria who
has worked in the humanitarian sector for
more than 20 years, including in Angola,
Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo. (IPS)
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 13

COVER COVER STORY STORY
Tuelo Botlhole
The Ga-Siko Lad at the Helm of PPC Botswana
Often having to be dragged to school as a child by parents who had themselves never
been there is in sharp contrast to Tuelo Botlhole’s latter-day academic credentials
among whose rewards is his current perch at the zenith of one of Botswana’s distinctly
blue chip establishments, writes TUDUETSO TEBAPE
Growing up, Tuelo Botlhole hardly had ambitions
of one day being a leader. Such aspirations can
be difficult to develop when growing up in a
large family. Which was the case with Botlhole,
who is one of eight children. This, however, does
not mean he was ill-motivated because his older siblings
were always there to encourage him to do his best.
This was instilled alongside other values, including hard
work and the merits of a good education, thus laying the
foundation for the leader that Botlhole would become later
in his life. Today he sits at the helm of PPC Botswana as
the first Motswana to ever hold the position of General
Manager of the company that is one of Botswana’s leading
and longstanding partners in the construction industry
that it supplies with cement and aggregates.
Botlhole explains: “PPC has three divisions - cement,
aggregates and lime. As GM, I have oversight authority
over the cement and aggregates divisions. We see ourselves
as providers of materials and solutions. By that we mean we
want to provide customers with a one-stop shop, hence we
try to bring the two divisions together so that we provide
a one-stop shop. My role in this is to provide strategic
leadership.”
He has come a long way from his humble beginnings
at Ga-Siko in his native Ramotswa where he was raised
by parents who, although had no personal experience
of a classroom, were unrelenting in their insistence on
their children obtaining a good education because they
were convinced of the value that would flow from it. But
it was not always smooth-sailing for the parents because
Botlhole’s interest was questionable at best.
“From a very tender age, like most kids I was very
reluctant to go to school,” he volunteers. “And on a number
of times, my parents had to physically drag me to school.
For parents who had never attended school to put eight
children through school, from primary through secondary
school, I think it was nothing short of remarkable. They
played a central role in determining the person that I am
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www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 15

16
today.”
It thus little wonder that his regard
for his parents is inestimable and that
he should ascribe a good amount
of his leadership style to them. Still
navigating memory lane with Botlhole
to explore his early life, he speaks
of his humble beginnings as having
had a significant bearing on how he
shaped out as a person. “I come from
a family of four boys and four girls,”
he says. “Both my mother and my
father played a pivotal role in bringing
out the best in me. In that way, I owe
them my leadership style.
“As I grew into my teens and late
childhood, I started to look up to my
older siblings. What I found and still
find very interesting is that as siblings,
though we were not the same age, we
always competed among ourselves.
That influenced and inspired us, each
and every one of us, to work hard. But
I must note that we were not really
high achievers. But work really hard
we did because our parents never
tired of instilling in us the importance
of acquiring a n
education
and selfdiscipline.”
Botlhole would later hone his
leadership skills at the University
of Pretoria’s Gordon’s Institute of
Business (GIBS) after completing his
bachelor’s degree at the University
of Botswana. “I think that the
turning point in my life came when I
enrolled for a leadership development
programme with the University of
Pretoria’s GIBS,” he notes.
“I believe they had a
profound influence on
the sort of leader that
I am today. I spent time
there eating, sleeping
and talking leadership.
Hence I think that
was the turning point
in my life. I am not
underplaying the fact
that university also
shaped me into the sort
of leader that I am, but
GIBS was like doubtless
the turning point.”
For one who had to be dragged
to school as a child, Botlhole’s
educational achievements are
phenomenal. He holds an
MSc in Strategic Management
f r o m the University of
Derby (2013 -
2014) and
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017
underwent training at PPC Academy
(2007 - 2008) and the Cement and
Concrete Institute of South Africa
(2006).
Prior to joining PPC, Botlhole
worked for Metro Sefalana in various
capacities, including as Branch
Manager at a number of stores and
Regional Buyer based at the Gaborone
office. Although this was not a position
at the pinnacle of the organisation, it
is where he tested his leadership skills.
“After reading all those books on
leadership and strategies of leadership,
it is quite funny that when you get to
the world of work and you try to apply
what you learned at school, you find it
is two different things. The classroom
and world of work are completely
different.”
In his experience, the gap is so
wide that he speaks of going through
a period of frustration before finally
finding his feet. “I went through a
lot of tests,” Botlhole says. “At some
point I wanted to quit because I was
frustrated. That was not what I had
spent all those years at school for! But
it is through these trying moments that
I learned that leadership also requires
patience. You need to understand
what people really want by putting
yourself in their shoes. But at the end
of the day, you have to make the final
decision as the leader. So I learned as
I worked that when you work with
people and are suddenly in a position
of leadership, they will test you. But it
is through these tests that you actually
grow and become a better person.”
As General Manager of PPC today,
Botlhole has intimate knowledge of
the company and how it operates,
seeing as how he has spent the past
12 years there. “From my personal
experience, I have learned that
leadership requires patience and
dedication,” he explains. “You need
to go in and learn the rules of the
trade. It is difficult for one to become
a leader if one doesn’t understand
exactly what is going on. As a leader,
you don’t necessarily have to be doing
the work but you have to understand
what people are doing. That way, when
you ascend to a leadership position,
you will understand exactly what the
requirements are.”

www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 17

ANALYSIS
Donald Trump’s Plot Against America
BY BERNARD-HENRI LEVY*
NEW YORK: On the day of Donald
Trump’s inauguration, I met Philip
Roth.
This was a surreal experience,
given that in his 2004 novel, The
Plot Against America, Roth precisely
described the sinister and chilling
nightmare in which the United States
now finds itself.
We met, along with our mutual
friend Adam Gopnik, in Roth’s booklined
Manhattan apartment, where
he has moved after announcing his
retirement from writing.
Roth had spent the morning
watching television, and, like
many Americans, he had seen the
stupefying images of the fussing,
overgrown baby who, with diminutive
fists raised, insulted the US
establishment, the American people,
and the world.
As his readers know, the author
of The Plot Against America has a
special fondness for literary heroines.
So we dwelled on the case of
Melania Trump, the new First Lady,
who maintained a strangely absent
air throughout the ceremony. Was
she projecting lucidity? Were we
observing the look of someone
who has intimate knowledge of the
catastrophes that are yet to come?
Or was she just the most beautiful
girl at the party – the one an avid
adolescent had asked to dance, and
then held on tightly?
The world is now collectively writing
a new novel. Roth skillfully distilled
the tragic and the comic elements
of this process, and we spoke of the
forces that might be able to stand
up to the dark tide of vulgarity and
violence under Trump.
The first is the sovereign people,
who poured into the streets of every
large city in the country with the
knowledge that, in terms of total
votes, it is they, not Trump, who won
the election.
Second, there are some
Republicans who understand that
Trump, the former Democrat-turnedpopulist,
and the Grand Old Party
that he used as a stepping-stone to
power are in a fight to the death.
A third force is the CIA, whose
headquarters Trump visited the
day after his inauguration. He
positioned himself in front of the
Memorial Wall – on which are
engraved the names of 117 agents
who have been killed in the line
of duty – and issued a grotesque
and puerile self-congratulation for
the number of supporters who had
come to Washington to celebrate his
ascension.
Meanwhile, the American
intelligence community will not
soon forget that Trump doubted
their probity in the matter of Russian
hacking to influence the election in
his favor.
I asked Roth if he thought that
it was strange that the greatest
democracy in the world must fall
back on such an unlikely set of checks
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and balances. What is strange, he
answered, with a burst of laughter
and his head thrown back, is this
new state of suspended insurrection,
for which the improbably elected
president bears responsibility. One
might think that, owing to this
insurgency from within, Trump could
serve an even shorter term than that
of the protagonist in The Plot Against
America.
Of course, Roth’s novel and
today’s situation are not precisely
comparable.
Roth’s story unfolds in 1940, and
depicts the heroic aviator and Nazi
sympathizer Charles Lindbergh
triumphed over incumbent President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt. And
Lindbergh was a virulent anti-Semite.
Trump, nevertheless, employs
rhetoric that is reminiscent of
Mussolini. And he has professed his
solidarity with the worst populists
and outright fascist leaders on the
other side of the Atlantic, from Nigel
Farage and Viktor Orbán, to Marine
Le Pen and Vladimir Putin.
Then there is that slogan, “America
First.” It is astounding that those
words have not turned stomachs
across the American political
spectrum.
After all, as anyone with a modicum
of historical and political awareness
should know, “America First” was
American Nazi sympathizers’ slogan
in 1940, during Lindbergh’s time.
It was the response thrown back at
those who wanted the US to resist
Hitler’s Germany.
It was used to denounce the Jewish
“warmongers” who were accused
of placing their interests over the
national interest.
And it is this slogan, which Trump
repeated on the Capitol steps, that
leads the likes of former Ku Klux Klan
leader David Duke to unmask himself
and crow, “We did it!”
Trump knows all of this, and when it
is pointed out to him, he replies that
he is looking toward the future, not
back at the past.
But there are only two teams in this
game: nihilists with no memory, and
those who know that languages have
a history and, therefore, an id. The
first team thinks that a speaker can
invoke a white-supremacist slogan
repeatedly in a single speech without
having malign intentions; the second
team knows that the genealogy of
words cannot be denied without the
past taking its revenge.
Trump, a would-be ally to
the most unsavory and hated
demagogues of our time, is being
rejected worldwide. But consider
this particularly odd and sinister
twist: America’s most unpopular
president recently visited Jerusalem,
and developed an affinity for the
very same people that his fictional
predecessor considered to be
subhuman.
May the recipients of Trump’s
sudden solicitude be as wary of
this new friend as they are of their
enemies.
May they never forget that Israel’s
fate is too serious of a matter
to be used as a pretext for an
impulsive, uncultured adventurer
to demonstrate his authority or
supposed deal-making talents.
And may they be spared the
dilemma, depicted in Roth’s novel,
of having to choose between two
equally dreadful fates: that of the
victim, Winchell, or the willing
hostage, Bengelsdorf.
America has not read enough of
Philip Roth. His world or Trump’s: that
is the question.
• Bernard-Henri Lévy is one
of the founders of the “Nouveaux
Philosophes” (New Philosophers)
movement. His books include Left
in Dark Times: A Stand Against the
New Barbarism, American Vertigo:
Traveling America in the Footsteps
of Tocqueville, and most recently,
The Genius of Judaism.
Ku Klux Klan
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 19

ANALYSIS IN CAREER
16 Years after 9/11
the American Public Deserves Answers
BY BOB GRAHAM & DAN CHRISTENSEN
Sixteen years is a long time to expect the
American public to wait to know who was
behind 9/11, the most significant act of terror
in modern US history. Unfortunately, the
wait continues because of the resistance of
federal agencies to openness, the over-classification
of information and the weakness of
the Freedom of Information Act.
Vast numbers of investigative and intelligence
documents related to 9/11 remain
classified. The FBI alone has acknowledged it
has tens of thousands of pages of 9/11 reports
that it refuses to make public. To make matters
worse, agencies withholding information
tell what are essentially lies to make their
actions seem as acceptable as possible.
For example, the FBI repeatedly has said
its investigation of a Saudi family who moved
abruptly out of their Sarasota home two
weeks before 9/11 — leaving behind their
cars, clothes, furniture and other belongings
— found no connections to the attacks. Yet
statements in the FBI's own files that were
never disclosed to Congress or the 9/11 Commission
say the opposite — that the Sarasota
Saudis had "many connections" to "individuals
associated with the terrorist attacks on
9/11/2001."
Trust in government today is near historic
lows. Recent polls by Gallup and the Pew
Research Centre found that only 20% of
Americans trust Washington to do what is
right. When the people think government
is not listening to them, or giving them the
respect of knowing what it is doing, it feeds
into that undercurrent and denies the public
the opportunity to be part of the discussion
about what we should be doing.
Last summer's release of the long-hidden
"28 pages" from Congress' Joint Inquiry into
9/11 and FBI records obtained by Florida
Bulldog amid ongoing FOIA litigation indicate
that much about Saudi Arabia's role in
supporting the 9/11 hijackers remains classified.
If the public knew the role the kingdom
played in 9/11, would the United States be
selling them $350 billion in sophisticated
military equipment?
The Freedom of Information Act is
intended to be how classified materials are
unearthed. But as it is currently written and
has been generally interpreted by the courts,
most recently by Miami federal Judge Cecilia
Altonaga in Florida Bulldog's lawsuit against
the FBI, the frequently trivial concerns of
agencies trump the fundamental democratic
principle that Americans deserve to know
what their government is doing in their
name.
The problem is illustrated by Altonaga's
June 29 order denying the public access to an
FBI PowerPoint titled "Overview of the 9/11
20
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Investigation." The judge agreed with the FBI
that much information, including classified
pages about who funded the attacks, was
exempt from FOIA disclosure because it
might disclose law enforcement "techniques
and procedures," even though the overview
doesn't discuss those techniques and procedures.
Altonaga ruled without holding a trial
at which agents could be cross-examined in
open court on the facts that supported the
FBI's claims.
For instance, the FBI withheld a photo
taken by a security camera around the time
of the attacks in 2001. The FBI argued, and
the judge agreed, that the camera's location
could be deduced by viewing that photographic
evidence. It is a trivialization of
FOIA to use its exemptions to protect the
location of a security camera 16 years ago.
The "techniques and procedures" exemption
should not be used as a rationale for the
nondisclosure of the image in the photograph.
The camera didn't give the American
government information to avoid 9/11. Why
are we covering up for this failed system 16
years later?
The classification process today is driven
by the agency that is trying to withhold the
information. No disinterested third party is
involved that would be free from the motivation
of burying ineptitude, or worse, by the
agency holding the material. The government
has not always had such a tightfisted
approach to records. During the Civil War,
amid Northern discontent as the war grew
increasingly bloody, President Abraham Lincoln
instituted a policy that every diplomatic
message received or sent would regularly be
made public. Lincoln believed such extreme
openness was needed so people could see
how the Union was conducting foreign
policy, particularly whether Spain, France or
England were going to recognise the Confederacy
as a sovereign nation, a potentially
crippling blow.
Acting in the face of extreme crisis,
Lincoln demonstrated an early belief in the
value of open records to keep the public
informed and supportive. The president,
the FBI and other agencies would be wise to
follow President Lincoln's example. Congress
would be wise to reform FOIA so it serves its
intended purpose.
• Bob Graham was chairman of the Senate
Intelligence Committee and co-chairman
of Congress's Joint Inquiry into the terrorist
attacks. He served as Florida's governor from
1979-87. Dan Christensen is an award-winning
investigative reporter and the founder
and editor of Florida Bulldog, a nonprofit
news organisation. They wrote this exclusively
for the Tampa Bay Times.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 21

YOUTH inBUSINESS
22
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Swimming With the Blue Whales
For some people, the idea of starting a business came through a revelation that struck
them overnight while others are in business by default. For Botho Mokopotsa, a threehour
conversation with a highly successful businessman in Gaborone showed him what
to do when swimming with the big whales
Words: Malebogo Ratladi
Botho Mokopotsa is the founder and
Managing Director of One Man Journey
Construction Company, an outfit that
offers architectural, brick moulding, civil
and structural engineering services.
When he sat down for a conversation
that lasted for three hours with property
and media mogul Sayeed Jamali in
March 2014, this young man of 23 could
not have guessed that the dialogue
would become a wellspring for OMJ -
as his multi-faceted company is called
for short - that it has proved to be.
At that time, construction was just
a business venture that he wanted
to explore. “I met with Mr Jamali for
a lengthy three hours at his office at
Block 3,” Mokopotsa says. “He may not
remember what he told me, but to this
day I remember that meeting vividly
and almost every single word he said.”
He recalls also that a refrain that
Jamali, with whom he is a fellow Baha’i,
kept returning to was how saving is
critical to the growth of business. Any
business. Such an impact was the
conversation that he registered OMJ
three months later, having decided to
put school on hold.
He has a Certificate in law from
Gaborone Universal College where
should have progressed to the Diploma
level. Instead, he set up OMJ and
subsequently enrolled for accounting
with the Institute of Development
Management, a course that he is still
pursuing.
Today Mokopotsa speaks with pride
of how, having started from humble
beginnings, OMJ is a 30-man strong
company that bids competitively for
lucrative tenders in both the public and
private sectors. Within a year, he used
Jamali’s advice to set up Bluejack, a
subsidiary that moulds bricks.
“In business, it is not about the
problem but how to solve the
problem,” he says after revealing that
some investors abandoned him at
the beginning of this year inspite of a
healthy outlook for the company. As a
result of that experience, he wants to
turn OMJ into a company that will not
depend too much on investors.
Integral to such a ‘firewall’ are his
plans to branch into the hardware
business to sell building materials
directly to OMJ. More diversification
should also see this young man open a
garage.
Meanwhile, among other things,
Mokopotsa is driven by a desire to
make a mark on reducing the rate of
youth unemployment. To that end,
his vision is filled with opportunities
because in his view, there are still
gaps to fill in Botswana’s construction
industry. “On one hand, people
think there are too many construction
companies in Botswana,” he says.
“On the other,
Batswana are reluctant
to venture into
construction. Those who
do register construction
companies merely
angling for tenders and
soon after quit.”
But what are the challenges he has to
deal with? “Age,” comes the answer
straight away. He explains that there is
an attitude of “belittlement of young
people” that is often a problem.
“Clients often question the wisdom of
entrusting a lad in his junior 20s with a
million pula project,” Mokopotsa says.
“My project manager has had to take
over the duties of MD because clients
had trust issues with me because of my
age.”
A fun fact about One Man Journey is
that in the company’s stationery, the “e”
is missing from the “journey” because
the person who registered the company
on Mokopotsa’s behalf allegedly had
spelling issues. Nevertheless, it has
been three years since OMJ came into
being and the mainly one man’s journey
continues.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 23

ENTREPRISE
The Spick and Span B&B that Aims to go countrywide
Words: Ononofile Lonkokile
There is something about
being a devout Christian
that makes it relatively easy
for followers of the Messiah
to overlook challenges and
focus on achievements.
Malebogo Nshakazhogwe of Desmelima
Bed and Breakfast is a case in point
because she was undaunted that four
competitors were already operating in
Mmopane when she set up shop there
last February.
Instead, she fit in almost immediately
and was soon cultivating camaraderie
among the competition, bringing all of
them around to view one another as
colleagues rather than rivals. With one
thing leading to another, they were soon
referring clients to
one
another in the
event of
a
client
arriving at a fully booked establishment.
“Working together makes the
load lighter,” says the 37-year old
who speaks of being inspired by
her husband, Desmond, who is a
businessman of several portfolios. “We
consult a lot across many issues.”
Aft of this, Malebogo (“Yes, you have
my permission to call me that. Even
Lebo.”) decides to show me around her
enterprise and I am ushered into a piece
of Heaven on earth. The environment
is truly Mmopane, this small but
cosmopolitan village whose natives are
BaKwena, BaLete, BaHurutshe and
BaKgatla, among others.
A touch of the Biblical Babel is fast
coming to the village because of
its proximity to, nay, contiguity with
Gaborone, although it is decidedly
without the hubbub of the capital
city. Upon being told that this B&B
was transformed from a residential
house into this fabulous affair, I
think ‘transmogrify’ is closer to what
happened here.
“We added a few touches to the
house,”Malebogo says, maintaining a
rather ill-suited humility. “My husband
played a very instrumental part in the
refurbishing. We wanted it to look and
feel like a home because we don’t
want you to miss your home when
you are here.”
Located at Mmopane’s Block
1 neighbourhood, Desmelima
has three bedrooms made up
of one executive room that
is much bigger and more
elaborate than the two others.
The asking price for the executive room is
P410 per night and P360 for the standard
rooms. There are plans to add two more
bedrooms because it is a good business
move and there is ample space in the yard
that should be put to good use.
An outstanding feature about Desmelima
is that the rooms are named after women
who inspire Malebogo. There is Victoria
Osteen for the executive room, then
the larger-than-life Winfrey Oprah and
Joyce Meyer for the standard rooms. The
bedding in each of the bedrooms is white
with a dash of pink, a colour that forms
part the Desmelima logo.
Malebogo emphasises that the sheets
are washed in disinfectant and changed
every day. The fully-fitted kitchen is of an
open plan to accommodate the guest
who prefers self-catering. Except for
continental, breakfast at Desmelima is
gratis.
“We fully understand the importance of
marketing, hence the free breakfast ,”she
explains.
“Marketing is what got
me where I am now.
We do it through social
media and that African
telegraph of lore – the
word of mouth.”
After the brainstorm of setting up a B&B
hit Malebogo in 2011, she went around
24
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017

enchmarking at hotels, guesthouses
and B&BS both in Botswana and in
neighbouring countries. When she
developed a motto upon which to anchor
the business, she knew that hers would
have to be different, and “magical” became
the operative adjective.
“Once Visited, Always Remembered,”
is the dictum by which Malebogo runs
Desmelima. “We are committed to keeping
our clients satisfied and so we motivate
our employees to ensure delivery of firstclass
service,” she says.
At this point there are two employees,
both women. The caretaker is a
permanent staffer while a younger woman
is an intern who is a hospitality student
at New Era College. Malebogo says she
made it a point to employ women because
she believes that Botswana’s distaff
section of society needs empowerment.
The unusual name, Desmelima, is the
result of blending the prefixes of the names
of everyone in her family, viz., her husband
Desmond, her daughter Mellissa and
herself Malebogo. She says she draws
inspiration from her husband who is a
well-established entrepreneur with several
businesses to his credit.
“My family is well-rooted in business,”
she notes. “I am really blessed because
I could never run short of mentors.” As
a former employee of Metcourt Inn in
Gaborone, Malebogo is not new to the
leisure and hospitality industry.
Returning to the subject of mentors, she
mentions Carol Othata who runs Atlaaya
Takeaway in G/West as her role model
in several spheres. Amogelang Dube of
Khayelihle guesthouse is another icon that
she holds in high esteem. “She actually
held me by the hand when I started out,”
she says.
“I am not one to dwell on problems
because I believe doing so would make
them worse. Even so, there are a few
that I constantly have to contend with.
For instance, people still want to be in
Gaborone for lodging. And then there are
complaints about our prices.”
The initial capital outlay for the business
came from Malebogo’s own savings
and to-date she has not turned to any
empowerment programme for financial
assistance. She regards this as a blessing
because it motivates her to work hard in
order to realise a return on her investment.
Her goal is to grow and become a
nationwide chain of Desmelimas.
“I am not one to dwell on
problems because I believe
doing so would make them
worse. Even so, there are a
few that I constantly have to
contend with. For instance,
people still want to be in
Gaborone for lodging. And
then there are complaints
about our prices.”
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 25

ENTREPRISE
The Ass’s Milk Is an Elixir!
Instead of regarding the Beast of Burden as a stupid ass, a pioneering businessman is peddling
donkey’s milk as a source of nutrition for all and a means of maintaining a good patina for women
while a sip of the stuff from a jenny’s mammary glands can go a long way to solving men’s libido
issues, writes PEARL MOTSIE
As the saying goes, one
man’s trash is another
man’s treasure. While
some people may
be nauseated by the
very thought of consuming anything
donkey, particularly donkey’s milk,
others are finding that the ass, alive
and kicking, can be a wellspring of
wealth and health in more ways than
in its singularly outstanding role as the
beast of mercy that carried the Messiah
to the relative safety of exile over 2000
years ago. Or perhaps flowing from that
suddenly exalted station from which
it unaccountably fell to its wonted, if
unwanted, position as the beast of
burden.
One such person is pioneer of
26
commercial donkey’s milk products
and indigenous scientist Johannes
Visagie of Kalahari Secrets (Pty) Ltd.
The products he sells include Donkey
Milk, Donkey Milk Soap, Donkey Khawa
Scrub and Donkey Milk Lotion. Kalahari
Secrets distributes these products to
sales agents across the country and
presently has a stall in front of Pay
Less supermarket at the Main Mall in
Gaborone.
The products are creating
employment for young Batswana sales
agents who make a reasonable profit
from re-selling as seen in the markup
on the distributor price. Donkey’s
milk contains 12 essential nutrients
that compare with human breast milk
while surpassing those of cow’s milk.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017
Its medicinal properties can address
erectile dysfunction and act as a libido
booster.
The nutrients include phosphorus,
which is good for strong bones and
teeth; zinc, which is good for the immune
system; calcium, which is required for
strengthening bones, cell signalling,
blood clotting, muscle contraction and
nerve function; potassium, which is
good for cellular and electrical function;
sodium, which regulates and balances
acidity in the body; and magnesium,
which keeps the heartbeat steady and
bones firm and strong.
The Vitamin A in donkey’s milk
promotes good vision and helps
form and maintain a healthy skin,
teeth, bones, soft tissue, and mucus

membranes; its Vitamin C is responsible
for growth and repair of tissue
throughout the body while its Vitamin B1
(Thiamin) converts carbohydrates into
glucose for the body to use as energy.
Donkey milk’s Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
helps convert nutrients from food into
usable bodily energy and to maintain
healthy metabolism. Vitamin E is good
for protecting body tissue from damage
caused by free radicals that play a role
in ageing.
The lysozyme present in donkey’s milk
protects flora in the digestive system and
creates a conducive environment for the
uptake of nutrients. That environment
also inhibits the growth of bacteria
that causes diarrhoea in children.
Another essential mineral is selenium,
which is important for the protection of
cell membranes. In addition to being
nutritious, donkey’s milk increases the
metabolic rate and thus burns unwanted
fat relatively quickly.
But what inspired this article was the
creation of donkey’s milk powder and a
medicinal capsule. A recent telephonic
conversation with Visagie revealed that
his company had acquired a machine
that converts donkey’s liquid milk into
powder that is expected to reach the
market at the beginning of September
2018 and the capsules in the course of
the same month.
In ancient times, donkey’s milk was
used as a moisturising agent because
it has properties that induce skin
regeneration and softening. Donkey’s
milk is a natural cleanser and is easily
Donkey Milk Soap
absorbed into the skin. It has properties
that soothe bumps and pimples and is
ideal for use as an aftershave balm. It
is said that Queen Cleopatra owed her
eternal youthfulness to bathing in donkey
milk.
According to Visagie, donkey’s milk
has been used for centuries to alleviate
asthma, arthritis, sugar diabetes and
heart disease, to name but a few
ailments. Research conducted at
UB has confirmed that donkey’s milk
reduces the risk of suffering a stroke
and heart disease. Meanwhile, Visagie’s
company is working with cardiac disease
specialist Professor Kiran Bhagad, who
actually encourages his patients to drink
donkey’s milk. Those who know will
go further and say eating donkey meat
keeps the doctor away.
Item Product Distributor Price Selling Price
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
250 ml Milk
100g Donkey Milk Soap
50g Donkey Milk soap
30g Donkey Milk Soap
50ml Lotion
50ml Face wash
50ml Khawa Face Scrub
10ml face ointment
Donkey Milk lip balm
P 50.00
P35.00
P20.00
P20.00
P65.00
P50.00
P50.00
P30.00
P30.00
P60.00
P100.00
P50.00
P25.00
P85.00
P65.00
P60.00
P45.00
P40.00
The nutrients include
phosphorus, which is
good for strong bones
and teeth; zinc, which
is good for the immune
system; calcium,
which is required for
strengthening bones, cell
signalling, blood clotting,
muscle contraction
and nerve function;
potassium, which is good
for cellular and electrical
function; sodium, which
regulates and balances
acidity in the body; and
magnesium, which keeps
the heartbeat steady and
bones firm and strong.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 27

ECONOMY
China Holds the Key to
Botswana’s Diamonds
A De Beers report is bustling with optimism for the future of diamonds because, as it notes,
women around the world are becoming a force on the market that demands direct pitches in
salesmanship. And as MODIRI MOGENDE writes, the Orient is leading in the growing glint
Traditionally, the Western
world has been a dominant
source of Botswana’s
diamond purchase orders.
For over eight decades, young
women in the United States and Europe have
worn the finest quality stones in engagement
and wedding rings, necklaces, earrings
and bracelets, ensuring a lucrative and
dependable market.
Fast forward to the post-global economic
crisis era, and there is a steady shift in
the dynamics of diamond sales in which
purchase orders come from the Orient. This
is an important development for Botswana
as diamonds remain the country’s largest
export and forex earner.
Even so, according to De Beers Diamond
Insight Consumer, demand for diamond
jewellery saw marginal growth in 2016 that
was driven by strong performance in the US
where demand exceeded US$40 billion for
the first time while the strength of the US
dollar weighed on performance in some of
the other key global markets for diamond
jewellery sales.
The report also indicates growing
consumption from the world’s second largest
economy, China. Rough diamond demand
also increased in 2016, underpinned by
consumer demand and midstream restocking
that followed a period of weaker
purchases towards the end of 2015.
The report notes that these trends have
continued so far in 2017, with improving
retail sentiment being reported in the
important Chinese and Indian consumer
markets. Reflecting more normal trading
conditions, rough diamond sales have been
steady so far this year, while rough diamond
production has increased on the back of
demand from cutting centres and new
sources coming on line.
The Chinese economy has grown
exponentially over the last 20 years. With
that growth came an ever-bourgeoning
middle class with a growing appetite for finer
things in life, including diamond jewellery.
According to Forbes, China has the highest
number of Uber-wealth individuals. It
is reported that in 2016, China had 594
billionaires, ahead of US’s 535 billionaires.
28
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017

This boom in wealth has seen a spike in
demand for diamonds.
While in the West diamond engagement
rings are all the rage, the Eastern woman
has other tastes. According to the report,
Chinese demand has traditionally been
dominated by solitaire-type diamond
jewellery, which accounted for 81% of pieces
in 2016. “Necklaces and earrings have gained
a share of the total number of pieces,’’ says
the report. ‘‘This trend is likely to continue as
repeat purchasing increases in the future.”
The diamond traders will be focusing
more or marketing directly to women.
While in the past men traditionally bought
the jewellery, the report cites an increase in
women’s economic participation as a key
market. It notes that the role of women in
society is undergoing a significant shift for
several reasons.
“First, relationship dynamics are
experiencing a transformation,’’ it says.
‘‘Partnerships are now much more about
the growth of the two equal individuals,
as much as they are about the growth of
the partnership itself. Second, women now
have much more spending power than they
did in previous generations and there is a
much higher degree of self-purchases than
before. And third, the way in which women
perceive themselves is evolving. While there
are distinct views in different countries, one
constant is that womanhood is becoming
more closely associated with a sense of
strength and empowerment.”
According to De Beers, these changes in
the profile of the female consumer have a
direct impact on businesses in the diamond
sector and some of the traditional thinking
about diamonds will need to be re-assessed.
While the notion of love remains universal
and powerful, and the core attributes
of diamonds remain valued, there is an
increasingly wide spectrum of meaning for
diamonds. As well as commitment, they also
symbolise emotions such as joy, optimism,
pride and confidence.
Desire for diamonds among Chinese
women has remained consistently strong and
is the highest of any leading diamond region
in the world. As Chinese women, millennials
in particular, hold an image of diamonds
as symbols of love and enduring romantic
relationships, diamonds are becoming an
essential part of Chinese weddings. Almost
half the brides in Tier 1 to Tier 3 cities
acquire a piece of diamond jewellery.
Equally, while traditional diamond
selling occasions such as engagements
and anniversaries remain very important,
successful diamond marketing will
increasingly need to reflect a range of
significant moments in a person’s life.
This may include a new job, memories of a
happy holiday or ‘just because,’ and should
be connected to the experiential element
of lives and relationships. And all aspects
of diamond promotion, including design,
concept and role models, should reflect the
new reality of womanhood if the industry is
to capitalise on the continuing strong desire
for diamond ownership.
Diamonds possess all the attributes
required to symbolise femininity in the
future just as strongly as they have done
in the past, but the industry will need to
continue evolving to fully benefit from this
opportunity.
On the mining prospects side, De Beers
observes positive existing and new deposits
in its Debswana production from Jwaneng
Mine’s Cut 8 project that began this year and
the company’s Venentia underground mine
in South Africa. These are some of the listed
projects that will be a source of growth for
the diamond sector.
Bruce Cleaver of the De Beers Group
wrote in the report that prospects remain
positive for the industry. “Diamonds
continue to captivate, but consumers are
changing,’’ Cleaver noted. ‘‘The economic
influence and social empowerment of women
is evolving rapidly all around the world
and the diamond sector must respond to
the new consumer landscape and to new
opportunities.”
Picture: Solly Cannon
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 29

HEALTH
Cancer Therapy In the
Sands of the Kgalagadi
Research into indigenous crops that have been used by BaSarwa and other inhabitants of Kgalagadi is
unveiling secrets of survival that inhere in the nutritional potency and medicinal properties of plants
that grow naturally in the deep sand beds of the desert, writes ARNOLD LETSHOLO
To a student of the history of
BaSarwa of the Kgalagadi Desert,
the fruit kgengwe is associated
with these ancient nomadic
people and has served them
well as a thirst-quencher. It is people like
BaSarwa, more than others, who know that
as human beings evolved with time, demand
for food plants grew, as did demand for
plants as sources of medicine.
The melon kgengwe and other indigenous
plants of the Kgalagadi were identified, many
of them for both purposes, in this process.
As research into this fruit shows, kgengwe
has the potential to be added to the growing
list of exports from this country that heaves
under a burdensome import bill made
up mainly of food stuffs. Understandably
propelled by the need for food security,
economic diversification and employment
creation, heightened research into more
indigenous plants is currently underway.
To that end, the Southern African Centre
for Climate Change and Adaptive Land
Management (SASSCAL) is one of several
organisations that are involved in this work.
SASSCAL has injected P2.7 million into
a four-year research programme titled
“Cultivation, Value Addition and Marketing
of Climate Smart Emerging Crops to
Improve Food Security in Botswana” and
has put together a team of researchers from
the Botswana University of Agriculture
and Natural Resources (BUAN) that has
identified kgengwe or Citrullus lunatus
for cultivation. Other plants that the team
is working on include morama (Tylosema
esculentum), mungongo (Schinziophyton
rautenenii) and mogose (Bauhinia
petersiana). The team leader is Dr Rosemary
Kobue-Lekalake, who is filled breaming with
optimism that the research will bear fruit.
This is what she told inBusiness at BUAN’s
Food Science Processing Laboratory that
is situated at Sebele just north of Gaborone
recently: “As agricultural production
intensified over the years, these indigenous
resources have experienced high levels
of exploitation due to land degradation,
deforestation, overgrazing and bush
encroachment. Research and development
regarding how to reverse the situation,
as well as look into domestication and
cultivation of indigenous plant species, is
limited.”
Several factors are to blame for this, among
them lack of policy on domestication,
cultivation and conservation of indigenous
plant species, as well as lack of knowledge
and information on the proper use of
components of plants. Dr. Kobue-Lekalake’s
team is made up of Ompelege Matenanga,
who is a food scientist and the project’s
research assistant; Kholwani Bagayi, an
MSc student at BUAN who tackles the
project’s pest issues; Thebeyame Makoyi, an
environmental scientist who is responsible
for the project’s maps and GIS issues; and
Goitsemodimo Makati, who looks after the
greenhouse and seedlings in it.
Said Makati: “A woman in Tlokweng has
expressed a burning desire to do business
with kgenwe. We encourage people to grow
their own crops for investment. My role
therefore is to keep stock
30
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017

Kgengwe
Packaged Kgengwe jam.
of cuttings for demonstrations. But these
indigenous plants are protected for a certain
period, which can compromise business for
entrepreneurs who rely only on the wild.”
She explained that the best way to grow
indigenous plants is to plant branches cut
from them in a sample of soil taken from
their original habitat. If, for instance, the
natural habitat of a plant includes sandy
soil, its cut branch should be planted
in sandy soil. Where there is need for
fertilization, simple kraal manure should be
used.
Makoyi picked up the cue: “We have to be
certain of the location of our plants,” she
said, reiterating Makati’s point that the
original habitat of a plant is its best place
to prosper. But the crops may also grow
in alluvial soils. Since it this is a research
project meant for the future of beneficiaries,
Makoyi’s tasks include collecting GPS data
to ascertain traceable locations of the plants
at various points of the country.
As for Matenanga, her job is to establish
the value of the food in plants by means of
tests. “Morama, mongongo, kgengwe and
mogose are good sources of protein,” she
said. “The protein and fat in morama and
mongongo are similar to what is contained
in soy beans and peanuts. Mogose is used by
communities as a nutritional supplement for
children and the elderly. It is also good for
people who have lost their appetite for food.
Kgengwe seeds have a low content of protein
and fat and are eaten as a snack.”
Bagayi’s role is to ascertain which pests are
a threat to which plants. Team leader Dr.
Kobue-Lekalake said their work began with
need assessment consultations and capacity
building workshops at communities where
the crops naturally grow. The communities
include Shaikarawe and Malwelwe where
the team went in 2014 and Kaudwane in
March 2015.
inBusiness joined the team for the capacity
building workshop at Shaikarawe on 6 and 7
July. The settlement lies some 10 kilometres
southwest of Mohembo within 30
kilometres of the Botswana-Namibia border.
So enthusiastic are the people of Shairakawe
that they have formed a conservation
society. “We have about 30 fruit species, 20
medicinal plant species, and about 15 plant
species that are strong enough for use as
building materials,” said Martin Smith, the
society’s chairman, in an interview.
Reinforced by two people from BUAN and
the Ministry of Agriculture’s Department
of Forestry, the team has underscored the
importance of safeguarding indigenous
plants against excessive harvesting. The
use of branches with fruits for plants to
bear fruits within shorter time periods
was explained to the community.
Environmental economist Dr. Keneilwe
Kgosikoma spoke about marketing the
products and the importance of packaging.
Indigenous knowledge was shared between
participants and facilitators, with the
former demonstrating how oil is drained
from mongongo seeds. For their part the
scientists demonstrated use of a machine for
the same purpose, as well as for grinding the
nuts into a powder ready for consumption
as instant porridge.
A scientist knowledgeable and experienced
in the field of important plants, Dr. Mogotsi,
noted that the people of Shaikarawe were
inherently conservationist and should
therefore benefit from the project more
readily. Dr. Kobue-Lekalake spoke of the
medicinal properties of mongongo oil that
are efficacious in the prevention of serious
ailments like cancer, saying the people of
Shairakawe should be at the forefront of
efforts towards the manufacture of anticarcinogenic
capsules.
A key concern that was raised by the
participants was that mogongo had yet to be
examined by the National Food Technology
Research Centre (NFTRC). However, Dr.
Kobue-Lekalake responded by saying that
because she and a colleague were members
of the NFTRC Board, the matter would
receive urgent attention.
Meanwhile, duration of the project has been
extended by six months from October when
it should end so that outstanding issues may
be attended to. Market research, training
in business skills, questions of intellectual
property, standardisation and food
handling are some of the outstanding issues.
The last day of the workshop was dedicated
to selection of people who would attend
a week-long empowerment workshop in
business skills in Gaborone in due course.
The selection process was simple: attendees
of the Gaborone workshop would be chosen
among participants who would return for
the final session late in the afternoon.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 31

TOURISM
ZIM TOURISM BODY VISITS BOTSWANA
FOR BENCHMARKING
… grading and licensing of facilities took centre stage but the real deal was a visit to
BaHurutshe Cultural Village
Pic: BTO
BaHurutshe Cultural Village.
Words: Tuduetso Tebape
Although smaller in
population than most
of its SADC neighbours,
Botswana’s tourism
industry is a force to be
reckoned with because of the country’s
unique products and close adherence
to eco-tourism standards. Recently,
Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO),
through its Quality Services Department,
hosted the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority
(ZTA) that came to familiarise itself with
grading and classifying accommodation
facilities in Botswana and the country’s
well-developed laws and policies that
guide sustainable tourism development.
Keen to learn from what works for
Botswana, ZTA officials spent two days
on the benchmarking exercise. In a
press statement released by BTO in the
days leading up to the ZTA visit, other
countries that have visited Botswana
32
Pic: BTO
for similar benchmarking missions were
listed. “Countries perceive Botswana as
a shining example for such programmes
and visit the country to benchmark on
Botswana’s example,” said the statement.
“Countries such as Namibia, Lesotho,
Swaziland and Uganda have visited
Botswana to learn on the Licensing
Grading and Eco-certification of tourist
enterprises. To-date, Namibia and
Lesotho have implemented grading
systems in their countries after
undertaking such benchmarking visits to
Botswana.”
Under the Botswana Tourism Act, it is
a requirement that all tourism facilities
such as hotels, guesthouses, beds &
breakfast, lodges, tented camps, selfcatering
apartments, mobile safaris and
camping grounds undergo grading prior
to their being granted licences to operate.
Speaking to inBusiness after the ZTA
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017
delegation visit, BTO’s Public Relations
Manager Keitumetse Setlang gave an
overview of ZTA’s visit, saying it was an
excellent opportunity for learning and
sharing of ideas. “The highlight, which
ZTA pointed out, was the progress we
have made in automating the grading
system, as well as the synchronising of
grading and licensing,” she explained.
“This is a compulsory exercise that
they must undergo. We also took them
through our eco-certification process,
which is a voluntary exercise for tourism
facilities.”
ZTA’s visit also entailed a tour of
the different categories of tourism
establishments for BTO’s guests to
appreciate Botswana’s grading standards.
Further, ZTA officials were taken on an
excursion to Bahurutsi Cultural Village in
Mmankgodi to give them an appreciation
of the type of cultural tourism activities
that tourists can experience while in
Botswana on short visits.
“They left after having been to a
Bahurutsi Village to get a taste of our
culture,” said Setlang, who was quick
to point out that the Zimbabwean
officials did not only come to learn from
Botswana but also had valuable lessons
to share. “We also learned a lot from
them,” she added, “particularly about
their seamless approach to grading and
licensing.”

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www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 33

Q & A
Young Blogger goes Global
Even though blogging has been around for quite some time now, for most Batswana it is
still uncharted territory. But young blogger Tanlume Enyatseng has been making waves and
has quite a following. In this Q & A, MALEBOGO RATLADI speaks with him about what
motivates his blog, Banana Emoji
Q: What is your understanding of
blogging?
A: Blogging is a modern form of
journalism or an alternative medium for
sharing one’s writing as opposed to the
traditional newspaper or magazine. A
blog is basically a journal that is available
online. The activity of updating a blog is
blogging and someone who keeps a blog
is a blogger.
Q: Tell us about the name of your
Blog
A: Do you want the real story or alternative
facts? I have a different answer every time
someone asks me this question because
there was no grand story behind the
name “Banana Emoji.” I wanted the title
of my blog to sound different and not too
serious. It had to somewhat be a reflection
of my personality, which is quirky and
carefree. So I chose the first two words
that came to mind: Banana and Emoji. It
is great that it sounds cool but it not from
a brainstorm of any kind. If you’re looking
for a deeper explanation, you could say
bananas are the most underrated fruit yet
so nutritious. And the Banana Emoji has
been sidelined a lot too. I am in a way a
lot like a banana in that case.
Q: Why Bananaemoji.com?
A: I say why not
Q: How did you first get into
blogging?
A: I have always been a writer. From as
young as 7 years, I was entering writing
competitions and by the time I was 10 I
was writing very bad horror film scripts. I
wrote my first novel at 16 - an erotic novel
set in Phakalane. My whole life has been
one big art experiment. And this blogging
thing that I am actually good at has just
got me here. It is a passionate accident.
One day you wake up and you’re just
doing what you really love and people
say, “Oh, you are really good at that. You
should keep on going because we’re
waiting for the next piece.”
Q: How would you describe your
blogging style?
A: You could say my style of blog is
without a genre. You don’t have to
define yourself in relation to another;
34
you just define yourself in relation to
your own truth. Banana Emoji is a blog
that illustrates today’s evolving culture
through art, social commentary, fashion
and humour. I try to look at life and culture
through a completely unique lens -
creative with an artistic edge. My readers
are anything but normal. They’re bold,
free-spirited life lovers who recognise that
perfection is boring.
Q: What do you think is the best
service a blogger can provide to
his readers?
A: AUTHENTICITY. In capital letters. If it’s
not authentic to who you are, why do it?
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017
From a writer’s perspective, it means that
you are being true to your art form and
loyal to the creative process. From the
clothes you wear to the visuals you share.
Strive to be true to your subject matter
and to the complexities of your character.
That brings life to your work. In so doing
you inspire others.
Q: How do bloggers make money?
A: I really don’t know. I’m not making
money. I think at present not many
bloggers are sustained financially by their
blogs. Essentially your blog’s content
is the culmination of a number of your
talents. For example, photography or

writing. I believe that is how bloggers
make an income - through sharing their
art on their blogs, they build a portfolio
that attracts a number of different clients
to the services they offer for money.
Q: What type of networking do you
think is better to enhance your
traffic to the blog?
A: What has worked to my advantage
is social media. Through Instagram and
Facebook I’ve found a global audience
that keeps expanding. No longer are
our conversations confined to our
geographical context. Just last year, an
illustrator in Mexico contacted me after
seeing my blog via an Instagram post.
He told me how much he loves it and we
ended up collaborating on a post. I don’t
have that many followers, but those that
follow me are the right people. A lot of
them are key faces in the art and fashion
world.
Q: How do you manage time to run
your blog efficiently?
A: I have not been able to manage my
time successfully. On top of blogging,
I am a fulltime employee. So I try to put
out one exceptional body of work every
month. But I have realised that though
consistent, I need to try to double the
amount of times I post on my blog.
Q: But what are some of your
strengths that really help you in
blogging?
A: As bizarre as this may sound,
I believe my greatest strength has
been my arrogance and naiveté. I
have made every single decision
based on what I like before
thinking about how people will
perceive it. I am just listening to
my needs in terms of expression.
I have missed my own deadlines.
I have pissed other bloggers off.
I have taken pictures smoking
weed and shooting toy guns. I
wrote a blog post about loving
boys. But all this has contributed
to the Banana Emoji magic and
has set my brand apart from
everything else that you have
seen produced in this country. I
have also surrounded myself with
the most genuine and remarkably
talented photographers. I’ve
worked very closely with
Giancarlo Calameo of “The
Laguerta Show.” He has taken all
my images so far and the process
has been organic and simply
easy because of trust. We share
a similar aesthetic and passion
for what we do.
Q: Who has impacted you
most in blogging and how?
A: Most of what has impacted
my blogging and me has been
film. What I am trying to say is that I am
not influenced by other people or bloggers
very much. Film is life. It breathes, it
sweats, it cries, it drips, it pulsates and
it lives. Filmmakers like Xavier Dolan,
David Lynch, Greg Araki, Paul Thomas
Anderson, Stanley Kubrick, Andrei
Tarkovsky, Alfred Hitchcock and Lars Von
Trier have shaped how I approach my
work. I like to think I share stories through
my blog posts. I have stopped calling my
work ‘content’ because I don’t create
content. I share stories. Content just
sounds like a unit of production. A story,
by the very nature of that word, implies
that there is an arc, and some sense of
drama and enlightenment; some journey
and some reward or question that you are
going to be left with.
Q: What has been the most
challenging moment in your
blogging journey so far?
A: My greatest challenge has been the
general lack of support or blatant doubt
people of my work just because it does
not look a certain way. I will give you
two recent examples: I approached a
local designing duo to use their clothes
for a shoot and was given the runaround
until I gave up. I also approached a local
hospitality chain to shoot at one of their
locations and they declined the very
moment I asked.
After being persistent with my request,
they offered me the room but at a very hefty
price that they knew I could not afford. As
rich as Botswana is in its landscape and
heritage, it is disheartening to see the lack
of support and poor standards of what is
called ‘creative’ here. You have so-called
industry leaders creating the same substandard
work we have seen for years
and are being praised for it. The same
bloggers get attention and recognition,
yet they all produce the exact same type
of work. In short, standards are very low
for what is considered creative in this
country, and it very hard to compete in
such an environment because there is
really no room for innovation.
Q: Can you name some of your
favourite bloggers and explain why
they are your favourite?
A: I don’t have any really. I generally
respect everyone’s hustle and drive but
no one really stands out for me. But I
applaud people like Moses Maruping who
has created his own voice, however it
may not be to my taste. He has created
a name for himself in publishing through
sheer determination and hard work.
Q: Where would you like to be in
blogging five years from now?
A: I don’t think I would still want to be
blogging in five years. I would love to see
Banana Emoji grow to be a fully-fledged
website with other writers on board. That
is my dream. In five more we could turn
it into a living, breathing publication like
inBusiness. I want to create a space
where up-and-coming talent can share
their work; a home for all the weirdos
that are not doing what is conventional
or in-trend. I could give you the usual
‘I am constantly learning’ stuff but it
is true. I am. I do feel that technically
I’m still a neophyte, and that scares
me. But I am a nerd. I learn fast. I am
passionate and I am curious.
Q: Where do you see the business
of blogging in Botswana right
now and in the near future?
A: There is currently a lot of room for
improvement but also a lot to admire.
Botswana youth get a bad rap from
the government for being lazy or
complacent, but young bloggers are
truly shaping their own destinies. I
think blogging is only going to get
bigger and better. More people are
turning to the Internet for everything
and fewer people still trust major news
outlets. Blogs seem more personal
and bloggers tend to have a less
formal tone, which makes them more
personable. So I personally think that
blogging can only get bigger and
bigger.
Q: How do you think I rate your
blog as an interviewee?
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 35

TECHNOLOGY
How to
charge
your
devices the
right way
BY DAVID NIELD
Without a battery, your
expensive laptop or
smartphone becomes a
hunk of dead electronics.
And these rechargeable powerhouses
have a finite lifespan: Over time, they
will start losing power faster and taking
longer to charge.
To extend the battery’s useful life for as
long as possible, you need to take care
of your device properly. That means
adopting good charging habits and
taking care with battery storage. Here’s
what you need to know.
The science of lithiumion
batteries
The rechargeable
batteries used
by today’s
smartphones,
tablets, laptops,
and other
devices all use
a technology
called
lithium-ion.
As you
might
expect, they contain...lithium ions. As
Popular Science explained in our look at
Tesla’s Powerwall battey:
When the battery is charging, positivelycharged
lithium ions move from one
electrode, called the cathode, to the
other, known as the anode, through an
electrolyte solution in the battery cell.
That causes electrons to concentrate on
the anode, at the negative side. When
the battery is discharged, the reverse
happens. As for those electrons, they
move through circuits that are external
to the battery, providing juice.
Those electrons actually supply the
energy for your smartphone or tablet—
or in the case of Tesla, your entire home.
Laptops and phones use the same
lithium-ion technology for their batteries.
Over the years, scientists have tweaked
the formula of the chemical mix inside
lithium-ion batteries to try and get them
to last longer, charge faster, and work
more efficiently. Despite their tinkering,
lithium-ion batteries still have a set
lifetime. Why?
The cycle of battery charging and
discharging and recharging can only
repeat a certain number of times:
Due to the nature of the chemical
reactions happening at the anode
and cathode, thin layers of insulating
atoms form, obstructing the electrodes’
effectiveness. The limit varies, but most
rechargables will last two or three years,
so if you’ve noticed battery life dropping
on an old smartphone or laptop, you can
blame atomic buildup.
Charging and recharging
So how do you make your lithium-ion
battery last as long as possible? You
may have heard you need to do a full
charge and discharge when your device
is right out of the box—but this doesn’t
really matter on modern batteries. What
matters most is how you charge your
phone or laptop after you’ve started
using it.
Shallow discharges and recharges
are better than full ones, because
they put less stress on the battery,
so it lasts longer. When your battery
is discharging, Battery University
recommends that you only let it reach 50
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www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017

percent before topping it up again. While
you’re charging it back up, you should
also avoid pushing a lithium-ion battery
all the way to 100 percent.
If you do fill your battery all the way
up, don’t leave the device plugged in.
Instead, follow the shallow discharge
and recharge cycle we just mentioned.
This isn’t a safety issue: Lithium-ion
batteries have built-in safeguards
designed to stop them from exploding if
they’re left charging while at maximum
capacity. But in the long term,
electronics will age faster if they’re
constantly plugged in while already
charged to 100 percent.
Although shallow charges and
discharges hit the longevity sweet
spot, there are exceptions to this rule.
Once a month, let the battery undergo
a full discharge to about 5 percent,
just to recalibrate its self-assessment.
This mechanism allows your laptop or
smartphone to give you an “estimated
battery time remaining” reading that’s
somewhat accurate. Regular full
discharges aren’t a good idea though.
In general, you should be keeping your
battery above 20 percent, according to
Samsung.
These are all guidelines, by the way:
There’s nothing dangerous about
keeping your phone charged overnight,
and modern phones and laptops include
mechanisms for minimizing the strain on
the battery if your device is plugged in
all the time. Fortunately for users, small
tweaks and improvements are made to
the technology each year, so every time
you upgrade your smartphone, you’re
getting a lithium-ion battery that should
go further between charges and last
longer overall.
Storage and general care
Something else lithium-ion batteries
don’t like are extreme temperatures.
Whenever possible, you should avoid
leaving phones and laptops in hot
cars or in chilly rooms, because these
temperature extremes won’t do their
batteries’ lifespans any favors. You
should particularly watch out for
overheating during charging—though if
your phone or laptop manufacturer has
done its job, this shouldn’t be an issue.
As another precaution, you should
also make sure you’re using the official
charger that came bundled with your
phone or tablet, or you should invest
in an exact replacement. This will
guarantee that the charger is safe to
use with your device’s battery, and
optimized to charge it as efficiently as
possible. The official charger will apply
the best practices for your battery’s
general health.
Make sure your phone avoids extreme
temperatures.
If you’re going to be storing your laptop
or smartphone for an extended period
of time, you should leave the gadget
with a charge somewhere around 50
percent, as recommended by Apple and
other sources. Switch your device off
while you store it, and as we mentioned
earlier, make sure to keep it in a
Goldilocks spot: not too hot and not too
cold.
The documentation that comes with
your device should include more tips
and advice, so read through it all
carefully for any extra guidelines on
treating your batteries as kindly as
possible. Apply this little bit of extra
care, and you should find the battery
inside your phone or laptop lasting at
least until you’re ready for an upgrade.
On this auspicious occasion, the Board and Staff of BOCONGO wish
His Excellency the President Lieutenant General Dr Ian Khama Seretse
Khama, his Government and the gallant people of Botswana a very
Propitious and Happy Independence
Happy 51st Independence Day
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 37

FOOD
Eating at the Embassy is a
sumptuous trip to India
… although it is quite a cosmopolitan establishment, the proprietor speaks of
how the idea is total immersion of the customer in Indian culinary culture
Words: Tuduetso Tebape
For nine years now, the recently revamped
Embassy Restaurant & Bar at Riverwalk
has been Gaborone’s go-to location for
people looking to quell their craving for
authentic Indian cuisine.
Serving primarily Northern Indian
food, the Embassy is one of only a few
restaurants at Riverwalk that have stood
the test of time. Looking back at the
history of restaurants that have come and
gone at the upmarket mall, it is necessary
to recognise the staying power of the
family-owned and operated restaurant in
such a cut-throat sector.
On a fine spring day, inBusiness
Magazine made a culinary expedition
to the Embassy to savour the flavour
of authentic Indian food. We were
welcomed by a very hospitable Isha Suri,
owner of Embassy Restaurant & Bar, as
well as the restaurant’s jovial manager,
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Singh Kawaljeet. After showing the inBusiness crew around the
newly renovated joint, we sat down for a conversation about the
growth of the restaurant and the direction it is now taking to
stay relevant.
The menu at the Embassy is an eclectic mix of Northern Indian
cuisine, which is still the mainstay, and a variety of Setswana
and other dishes whose effect is to give the establishment quite
a cosmopolitan touch. We found the pricing reasonably pocketfriendly
and agreeable to most budgets because the portions
served are enough to satiate any appetite.
Said Suri of the main feature of the facelift that is making the
Embassy the multi-cultural destination that it is: “We started in
2008 but have totally revamped to embrace the community. The
point is that it is not just for the Indian community; we serve
steaks and lamb chops, as well as Chinese dishes.”
The native Indian chefs who prepare the array of meals at the
Embassy have been burning (figuratively speaking) stoves there
from the onset. This explains the pride in Suri’s voice when she
talks about her long-serving chefs. Her confidence is evident too
in the way she encourages inBusiness’ photographer, Buddha, to
shoot and capture them in pictures.
“We are proud of our team of professional chefs from India,” she
enthused. “They started with us when we opened the restaurant.
The food and the quality are consistent. Our target is to cater for
80 comfortably-seated people with perfect food.”
Speciality meals at the Embassy include butter chicken, mutton
roghan josh and lamb chops. “We also include some sweet food
from India,” Suri said. The combination of this conversation and
wafts of the cooking add to the ambience that made me eager to
sample the main item of the interview - the food. Sample? The
understatement was soon cast aside when an entire spread was
put before us, making it well worth the wait!
It came with traditional Indian cutlery and crockery, an
attribute that prompted our ‘host’ to explain that the idea was
total immersion of the customer in Indian culinary culture in
response to our unspoken wonderment. “We did a lot of our
homework in India,” Suri buzzed. “All my cutlery and crockery
is from India.”
The spread, served hot off the stove, included butter chicken,
mutton roghan josh, palak paneer, daal dhaba, lamb chop
masala, butter naan, navratan pulao and garlic naan bread.
We ate to our heart’s content as Suri explained the various dishes
that we devoured, relishing each well spiced bite thoroughly.
While I had previously eaten these dishes, it was the first time
that I ever savoured the street food, palak paneer. It is a fun dish
that bursts coriander and its lime flavour in the mouth.
Leaving the Embassy, Buddha and I remarked to each other that
the culinary experience of the restaurant, and the afterglow of
its ambience, were likely to linger long in our senses.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 39

LIFESTYLE
Tenacious Nicole Becomes
Miss Botswana 2017
• The BA (Hons) creative media
student had tried six times before
Words: Raymond Moremi
Miss Botswana 2017’s lavish coronation night had unforgettable
moments as 12 gorgeous finalists upped the glamour quotient by
strutting their stuff in a bid to be crowned the 51st Queen.
Held on September 28, two days before Botswana Day, the contestants gave
the audience an evening of fashion-forward elegance, proving why the national
pageant pioneered by Botswana Council of Women is still the ultimate in
the beauty stakes.
In the battle that preceded the crowning moment, the girls paraded through
different rounds of chic-casual wear, swimwear and finally evening wear by
Kaone Moremong of House of Kay and Botho Chalebgwa of Botocy.
The night ended with Nicole Lisa Gaelebale being crowned the best of them,
seizing the right to represent Botswana at the Miss World 2017 pageant that
will be held in China on November 18.
The 26-year old, who is utterly prepossessing, cried tears of joy as her sash
was draped diagonally over her shoulder before she accepted her bouquet of
flowers. Twenty-four year old farmer, yes, farmer Neelo Nthobatsang, and the
crowd’s favourite 22-year old law student Uua Murangi finished first and second
runner-up respectively.
The grand finale was a hotly contested affair in which perseverance and persistence
finally paid off for Nicole. She had tried and missed five times for the
pageant before finally winning the title at the University of Botswana’s indoor
sports arena.
Nicole’s first attempt was when she was 18 years of age back in 2010. She has
proved to many that at any given moment, a girl has the power to say this is
not how the story is going to end. Fighting back tears in a brief interview after
being crowned, she expressed her joy and pride in having won the title.
“This actually feels like a dream come true because I’ve been trying for so
many years,” she said. “I remember the first time I tried back in 2010 and
every year since then. I’ve been trying and trying. In 2015 I finished a runner-up.
To make it all the way to the finish line this year is really amazing.”
This is a greatest potentially life-changing event for Nicole because the title
is a gateway to many meaningful opportunities for her to make a difference
in the world.
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www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 41

BOOK REVIEW
The Resource Curse Revisited
AUTHOR: Joseph E. Stiglitz
There is a curious phenomenon that
economists call the resource curse - so
named because, on average, countries with
large endowments of natural resources
perform worse than countries that are less
well endowed. Yet some countries with
abundant natural resources do perform
better than others, and some have done
well. Why is the spell of the resource curse
cast so unequally?
Thirty years ago, Indonesia and Nigeria -
both dependent on oil - had comparable
per capita incomes. Today, Indonesia's per
capita income is four times that of Nigeria.
Indeed, Nigeria's per capita income (as
measured in constant dollars circa 1995)
has fallen.
A similar pattern holds true in Sierra
Leone and Botswana. Both are rich in
diamonds. Yet Botswana averaged 8.7%
annual economic growth over the past
thirty years, while Sierra Leone plunged
into civil strife. The failures in the oil-rich
Middle East are legion.
Economists put forward three reasons
42
for the dismal performance of some richly
endowed countries:
• First, the prospect of riches orients
official efforts to seizing a larger share of the
pie, rather than creating a larger pie. The
result of this wealth grab is often war. At
other times simple rent-seeking behaviour
by officials, aided and abetted by outsiders,
is the outcome. It is cheaper to bribe a
government to provide resources at belowmarket
prices than to invest and develop an
industry, so it is no surprise that some firms
succumb to this temptation.
• Second, natural resource prices are
volatile, and managing this volatility is
hard. Lenders provide money when times
are good, but want their money back when,
say, energy prices plummet. (As the old
adage has it, banks only like to lend to
those who do not need money.) Economic
activity is thus even more volatile than
commodity prices, and much of the gains
made in a boom unravels in the bust that
follows.
• Third, oil and other natural resources,
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017
while perhaps a source of wealth, do
not create jobs by themselves, and
unfortunately, they often crowd out other
economic sectors. For example, an inflow
of oil money often leads to currency
appreciation - a phenomenon called the
Dutch Disease .
The Netherlands, after its discovery
of North Sea gas and oil, found itself
plagued with growing unemployment and
workforce disability (many of those who
could not get jobs found disability benefits
to be more generous than unemployment
benefits.) When the exchange rate soars as a
result of resource booms, countries cannot
export manufactured or agriculture goods,
and domestic producers cannot compete
with an onslaught of imports.
So abundant natural wealth often creates
rich countries with poor people. Two
thirds of the people in Venezuela, the Latin
American country with the largest oil
deposits, live in poverty. No wonder that
they are demanding that the small group
of those who benefit from the country's
wealth start to share it.
Fortunately, as we have become aware of
these problems, we have learned much
about what can be done about them.
Democratic, consensual, and transparent
processes - such as those in Botswana -
are more likely to ensure that the fruits of
a country's wealth are equitably and well
spent.
We also know that stabilisation funds -
which set aside some of the money earned
when prices are high - can help reduce
the economic volatility associated with
natural resource prices. Moreover, such
fluctuations are amplified by borrowing
in good years, so countries should resist
foreign lenders who try to persuade them
of the virtues of such capital flows.
The Dutch disease, however, is one of the
more intractable consequences of oil and
resource wealth, at least for poor countries.
In principle, it is easy to avoid currency
appreciation: keep the foreign exchange
earned from, say, oil exports out of the
country. Invest the money in the US or
Europe. Bring it in only gradually. But in
most developing countries, such a policy is
viewed as using oil money to help someone
else's economy.
Some countries, notably Nigeria, are
trying to implement these lessons. Nigeria
has proposed creating stabilisation funds,
and, in the future, it will sell its natural
Continued to Page 49

MUSIC REVIEW
A.T.I
KHIRING, KHIRING, KHORONG. KHORONG
In the hip-hop world, there can be
two types of artists - those who
spit rhymes to entertain and those
that write music to inspire. ATI
has the temerity to dance in the
greyscale between these extremes.
He has a new sophomore album
out called “Envelope” and much
like a second date, it is everything
you can think of - exciting, fun
and filled with hope of longevity.
Stylized to the max with his own
creative ideas, ATI is an entirely new
undertaking. Khiring Khorong as
an official single from the album is
packed with pop giddiness, razor
sharp rhymes and a massive chorus
that has ensured it becomes the
biggest song in the country right
now. The song is a step up from
his previous works. He has grown
a lot since, not only as an artist but
as a songwriter as well. Lyrically
“Khiring” is an empowerment song
that raises the flag on breaking
down walls, moving away from
life’s negativities and just investing
in one’s own sparkle. The song
starts off in fifth gear all the way
to the end. It was clearly designed
for radio and live showdowns. The
catchy chorus, “Re tsile go betsa go
utwala, Khiring, Khiring, Khorong,
Khorong,” is delivered with vigour
and glee, something that the young
man is really good at. The star is of
course not alone on this track. Yung
Amazing and Legacy are featured
here and they each bring a real
sense of spectacle and flavour to
the song, ensuring it is a veritable
hit. With this music, it is safe not
to say ATI is back but has arrived!
Indeed “Le thantse lekhete.”
AMANTLE BROWN -LAGOS
Words: Raymond Moremi
Amantle Brown is clearly on
a mission to become the
biggest female artist that
has ever come out of home soil. The
Afro-pop artist is back with another
banger titled “Lagos” that has ‘hit’
written all over it. “Lagos” makes
it plain as a pike stuff that Brown
is slowly but surely jumping onto
the Nigerian Afrobeat bandwagon
with her own unique twist. Warm
and confident throughout the song,
she is becoming hard to ignore.
This is fireworks that has made an
impression on DJs and music lovers
across the country, yet it hasn’t been
in the market for long. It is a feelgood,
groove-good playful anthem
that packs as much of a punch
lyrically as it does musically. It is
way ahead in maturity compared
to her previous work while still
acknowledging her tenacious start.
With her super melodious sound, she
commands across the song’s dark,
Western African-tinged groove, if
there is such a thing, with so much
control. The highlight of the song
next to its hook has to be its catchy
chorus which gets stuck in the head
from the get go. What is even more
exciting is that Amantle Brown’s
exuberant energy elevates this song.
She is what I can call a stylistic
chameleon because with every song,
she reinvests herself, adopting a set
of different sounds. And it always
works. Brown is here to stay.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 43

MOTORING
AUDI RS 3 SEDAN
Good Things Come to Those who Wait
It’s a powderkeg that amalgamates science and aesthetics in a speedster that
goes from Nought to 100km/h in less than five seconds
Words: Alpha Molatlhwe
The first-generation Audi RS3 Sportback could best
be described as a perfect formula for explosive
power and performance and a rare collection of
science and aesthetics, all adding up to a spinetingling
explosion of driving pleasure. Under
the skin was a Turbocharged 2.5 litter five-cylinder petrol
instrument that produced 250kw of power output and a high
of 450Nm.
The same was paired to both an extremely reliable seven-
speed S-Tronic transmission and a hydraulic multi–plate
clutch. Acceleration from zero to 100km/h was achievable in
4.6 seconds. Fenders made from Carbon Fibre Reinforced
Polymer bore testimony to the ultra-lightweight design
expertise of Quattro. Audi South Africa managed to obtain
and deliver 174 units.
The second generation redefined the segment and was
produced in such limited numbers that only 265 units were
sold in 2015. With its high-tech suspension, a new five-
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www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017

cylinder instrument with best-in-class
performance and a sharper look,
the RS 3 Sedan epitomises a perfect
combination of speed and beauty.
RS-specific details in the interior and
the unmatched sound of the 2.5 TFSI
engine complete the emotional driving
experience.
Exterior Design
The sporty character of the RS3 Sedan
is unmistakably visible. The redesigned
headlights stand out, thanks to their
jagged lower edge and the threedimensional
honeycomb grill featuring
the Quattro logo on the sloping lower
segment accentuate the vehicle’s
dynamism. The rear-positioned diffuser
inserts featuring vertical running struts
and the large elliptic tailpipe of the
RS Sports exhaust system elevate its
high performance credentials. Eight
body colours, including the RS-specific
tones nardo grey and catalunya red
completes the package.
Drivetrain
The seven-speed S-Tronic is standard
on both RS3 models. The lower
gears of the compact dual clutch
transmission are dynamically short
while the seventh gear has a long
ratio to reduce fuel consumption. The
driver can let the seven-speed S-Tronic
operate automatically or can change
gear using the selector lever or the
steering wheel paddles. There is also
a choice of two driving programmes
in automatic mode: In D mode, the
engine is optimised for everyday traffic.
In S mode, the engine is designed for
more agility.
The Quattro permanent all-wheel
drive combines gripping dynamism
with considerable stability. Its central
component is the electronicallycontrolled,
hydraulically-activated
multi-plate clutch, which is mounted
at the rear axle for reasons of axle load
distribution. The multi-plate clutch uses
software that is tailored specifically to
the RS3. It distributes the drive torque
extremely quickly to the front and rear
axle as required, depending on the
driving style and co-efficient of friction.
An electrically-driven pump presses
the plates in the clutch together with a
maximum oil pressure. As soon as the
grip on the road is reduced or the driver
adopts a more sporty driving style, the
clutch can direct some of the force to
the rear axle when turning corners.
In addition to the Quattro drive, the
Audi drive select affects the operation
of the gas pedal S-Tronic steering
assistance and the exhaust flaps.
Furthermore, it includes the optional RS
sport suspension and adaptive damper
control that can work in alliance with
the Audi drive select by making use of
special hydrocarbon oil with microscopic
magnetic particles and a magnetic field
to vary damping in three stages - auto,
comfort and dynamic. This enables a
more spontaneous steering response
and more agile handling. The wheels
are precisely braced during cornering
and body roll is largely suppressed.
Audi magnetic ride counters body
pitch during braking.
The power plant
The turbo engine which drives the
new RS3 Sedan is the most powerful
series-production five-cylinder
engine on the world market. With the
displacement of 2 480cm3 remaining
unchanged, its maximum torque of
480Nm is available at engine speeds as
low as 1 700rpm and remains constant
up to 5 850rpm. The five-cylinder
engine thus catapults the RS3 from zero
to 100km/h in 4.1 seconds. Pinnacle
velocity is restricted to 250km/h with an
option to enhance it to 280km/h.
The new five-cylinder engine, 26
kilograms lighter than its predecessor,
is of considerable advantage to the RS
models with regard to the axle load
distribution and gross weight reduction
in internal friction, at the same time
increasing power output. Its crankcase
was changed from compacted graphite
iron to aluminium. The cylinder barrels
are plasma-coated and so are the
crankshaft main bearings.
Because of the ignition sequence,
the ignition alternates between
adjacent cylinders and those further
apart from one another to create a very
special rhythm.
Interior & Infotainment
Distinctive lines, clear ergonomics and
high-quality craftsmanship captivate in
an atmosphere of cultivated dynamism.
The optional Audi virtual cockpit and
the flat hierarchies and intelligently
linked context menus make operation
of the RS3 intuitive and ergonomic.
The main control element is the round
rotary/push-button control on the
console of the centre tunnel, which
also has an additional joystick function
in conjunction with MMI navigation.
The Audi phone box wirelessly links
the driver’s smartphone to the vehicle’s
antenna and the Bang & Olufsen Sound
System fills the interior.
They say for a relationship to last,
you must fall in love over and over
again. I love this car.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 45

SPORTS
A Night Full of Cheers for Chess
After Minister Olopeng warned athletes against drugs, Karabo
Sibanda emerged the light of the night as Sportsperson of the
Year while Vincent Crossbie of Botswana Motorsport won the
BNSC chairman’s heart both for his gritty approach to grueling
terrain and exceptional fundraising zeal that saw him enter the
Dakar Rally against a stack of odds
minister said athletes who used drugs were
only bringing an end to their careers.
“Drug and substance abuse are enemies of
excellence in sports,” he said. “Please do not
be tempted. Use only your God-given ability
and work hard to achieve what nobody can
take away from you.”
Minister Olopeng added that the lives of
athletes should reflect the celebrities that they
had become because whatever they did would
be copied by young people.
The awards came at a time when Botswana
is preparing to take part in high stakes
competitions, among them the Region 5
Games of the 2018 African Union Sports
Council, the Commonwealth Games and the
Africa Youth Games for all of which winning
athletes should be motivated to qualify.
Sportsperson of the year, Karabo Sibanda and BAA coach, Mogomotsi Otsetswe
Words: Mosah Mokganedi
The private sector, especially laggard if it failed to appreciate this change
multinationals operating in and approached sports accordingly, he
Botswana, has been called warned. Olopeng said youth programmess
upon to promote sports and like Re ba Bona Ha, centres of sports
invest in athletes.
excellence and age-based national teams all
Speaking at this year’s BNSC Awards
on October 7, the Minister of Youth
required investment and proper structures.
But if athletes should continue to produce
Empowerment, Culture and Sports good results, sports leaders too must play their
Development, Thapelo Olopeng, said the
significant strides made by the country’s
athletes in the recent past were crying out for
such a change of mindset in the private sector
part in taking good care of their charges, said
the minister. The best medical attention and
excellent accommodation were two examples
of what athletes deserved in care, he added.
to permit investing in grassroots development Turning to the athletes themselves,
in sports.
The point was that sports had become
Olopeng once again warned them against use
of performance enhancing drugs. Speaking
a business and Botswana could become a strongly against substance abuse, the
“Our athletes have raised
Botswana’s flag high around
the world and we are very
grateful for their contribution
in branding Botswana as a
destination of choice,”
Olopeng paid a glowing tribute to President
Ian Khama for his demonstrable support for
sports since assuming office in 2008, saying
sports had consequently grown in leaps
and bounds. An example of this was how
Botswana became the first African country to
host the World Netball Youth Cup last winter.
The minister noted also that Botswana
had garnered a total of 97 medals across
different codes from regional, continental
and international meets since April this year
and that this impressive performance was
rewarded with allowances and incentives
amounting to P3.5 million.
The minister was upbeat even where there
was disappointment, saying while Botswana’s
national teams had not won any medals, their
performance had won admiration for the
country around the world.
Meanwhile, the Botswana Athletics
Continued On Page 49
46
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017

Tshenyego Swept the BNOC Stakes
Words: Mosah Mokganedi
In becoming the new President
of Botswana National Olympic
Committee (BNOC), the
organisation’s former Senior Vice
President, Botsang Tshenyego,
had to beat four other contenders in
elections that were held on October 7.
Fifteen sport codes voted for him
against Ookeditse Malesu’s six, France
Mabiletsa and Tebogo Lebotse-
Sebego’s two votes each and Daniel
Molaodi’s solitary vote, sweeping the
stakes by far.
While it had widely been expected
to be a close contest, Tshenyego
evidently worked harder than the
rest at convincing affiliates that he
was their man. However, that he had
deputised outgoing Negros Kgosietsile
for the past eight years must have also
worked for him.
In other positions, Moses Moruise
beat Keeneese Katisenge and Rampa
Mosweu to the first vice presidency
while Bernadette Moruti became the
new Second Vice President. Michael
Moroka, Tebo Segaise and Yarona
Sharp are the new additional members
of the board that will be in charge until
2022.
Speaking after the elections,
Tshenyego thanked the affiliates
for entrusting him with greater
responsibility and assured them that
they had the right person for the
job in him. Even so, he emphasised
teamwork and told fellow committee
members that his success would
depend on their support.
He singled outgoing president
Kgosietsile out for having taught him a
lot. “If we fall, we fall together,” he said.
“And if we succeed, we must succeed
together.”
He said his having been a part of
BNOC for a long time had enabled
him a good grasp of things. Lack of
resources and attracting sponsors
would be a priority, he added.
“Resources are always a cause of
conflict in sports with all sport codes
wanting a fair share,” Tshenyego
noted.
He observed that the biggest
Tshenyego, France Mabiletsa and Ookeditse Malesu in discussion
winners in the elections were women
since three women, which constitutes
42%, had made it onto the committee
for the first time in recent history. The
involvement of women in decisionmaking
positions was critical as it
made reaching balanced decisions
easier, he said.
For his part, Kgosietsile, who had
been at the helm of BNOC for the
past 16 years, warned that there were
“grey areas” that called for attention.
He cautioned the organisation against
washing its dirty linen in public as
that could only earn a bad name for
sports. He too emphasised teamwork
and advised his successor to seek
the input of other board members and
affiliates before making decisions.
“I achieved all that I managed to
through teamwork because success
cannot be achieved by an individual,”
he noted. Nevertheless, he said, the
committee need not live in fear of
making mistakes because humans
were not infallible. “Do not shy away
from criticism because criticism is not
a bad thing either,” he added.
Kgosietsile encouraged the new
board to devise a strategy for the
growth of sports in Botswana.
“Oftentimes we talk about limited funds
New BNOC PRESIDENT, Botsang Tshenyego
in sports, but have we tried to come up
with strategies of how best we can use
the limited funds?, he queried.
But most of all, the outgoing
president underlined grassroots
development because investing in
young talent would ensure a feeder
programme for winning players and
teams.
Meanwhile, elections for BNOC’s
elections committee did not take place
because there were not nominees.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 47

MOTORSPORTS
BOTSWANA SUCCESSFULLY HOSTS MXOAN
Words: Alpha Molatlhwe
The recent hosting of the Motor
Cross of African Nations by
Botswana was hailed by many as
a huge success that brought the
continent’s top riders together.
Officiating at the three-day event, the
Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports and
Cultural Development, Thapelo Olopeng,
said the country’s ability to host continental
motorcycling competitions was a sign of
growth of the sport in the country and
described Motor Cross of African Nations as
the pinnacle of motocross events in Africa that
is the equivalent of the All Africa Games.
“When the Botswana was confirmed as
the host nation for this event on March 11,
just five-and-a-half months ago, the area that
is used for this race was a ploughing field,”
Olopeng said.
“It is only through the amazing
generosity of the sponsors of
this event that Botswana Motor
Sport (BMS) was able to convert
a ploughing field into this
motocross track and associated
infrastructure.”
Speaking at the same event, Tunku Motsumi
of BMS thanked the sponsors, among them
Komatsu Botswana, Giant Transport, Pick
N Pay Botswana, Babcock, Vivo Energy and
Shell for helping put things together at short
notice.
Enthusiast John Carr-Hartley, who
a partner of Armstrong Attorneys,
spoke of how he was drawn by his
son, then a toddler of 3 years, to
motor sport. Said the Kasane native
in an interview on the sidelines of
the event: “I only became actively
involved in motor sport in 2000.
Although I have always loved
motor sport, it was only
when my son began
riding and wanted to race at the age of 3 that I
started to get actively involved in motor sport
in Botswana. I initially assisted by marshalling
at events arranged by Gaborone Motor Club,
and then in 2002 I bought a bike and took part
in my first off-road race.
“I then rode in the off-road category for
a number of years, eventually taking part
in six Toyota Desert Races. As I became
more active in the sport, I began assisting in
the organisation of events until ultimately I
became Chairman of Gaborone Motor Club
and later President of Botswana Motor Sport
which was under the auspices of Motor Sport
South Africa then. I stopped competing but in
January of this year I was appointed President
of the Interim Committee of Botswana Motor
Sport by the Botswana National Sports
Commission.”
Carr-Hartley explained that the new
Interim Committee of Botswana Motor
Sport, which came into office in January, was
unaware that Botswana had applied to host
the Motocross of African Nations. But lo and
behold, the previous committee had applied
to host the event in October 2016, but it was
only at the FIM Africa Meeting held on March
11 this year that the new committee was made
aware that Botswana was to host the event in
2017.
“I was aware that Botswana had previously
applied to host the event and had failed to
meet the
required standards and
fines
were imposed by FIM
Africa,” he said. “As
a
result, the people
who attended the
FIM Africa Meeting
in March had a short
discussion and we
felt that with the
right organising
committee and the
right sponsors,
Botswana Motor
Sport could
successfully
host the
event. Most
countries have one year to put the event
together.”
According to Carr-Hartley, track
preparations commenced in April with a
basic layout of the track. While waiting for
the track layout to be inspected by the FIM
Africa-appointed track inspector, change
of land use was sought and g potential
sponsors approached. “There were a number
of challenges. We had just five months did
not have a track that complied with the FIM
International Standards. The building of the
track was only completed a week before the
event, which was an incredible effort by the
track builders, and the facilities were only
completed the day before the event. However,
our incredible sponsors believed in us and we
were able to pull it off.
“Unfortunately, because we only learned
in March that Botswana was to host the event,
we were unable to secure funding from BNSC
and the government because their budgets had
already been allocated. This was not the fault of
BNSC or the government but was simply due
to timing. As a result, Botswana Motor Sport
reached out to sponsors and the response
was fantastic. Even though BNSC and the
government were unable to assist financially,
BNSC, the government and Tafa Tafa of BTO
assisted us with permission and guidance
and really helped to facilitate the holding of
the event. The presence of His Excellency the
President (Ian Khama) and Minister Olopeng
at the event is testimony to the support and
commitment of the Government to Botswana
dor the country to host international events
such as the Motocross of African Nations.”
But the difficulties are history now. Many
of the competitors and the team managers
of visiting countries described the track and
facilities as world-class. There is a senior track
measuring 1,453m in length and a junior track
of 820m in length. “At Botswana Motor Sport,
we believe that it is important that we build
on the success of the Motocross of African
Nations,” Carr-Hartley continued. “In this
regard, we would like to see a number of local
motocross events taking place in Gaborone
next year. We would like to hold a regional
event in the near future involving countries
such as Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South
Africa, Namibia and Swaziland. This would
help all riders in Botswana to improve our
ability by riding against international riders,
which in turn should improve the standard of
motocross in the country as a whole.”
48
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017

A Night Full of Cheers for Chess
Continued From Page 46
Federation (BCF), Tshenolo Maruatona,
emerged Sports Administrator of the Year,
Association’s tally of four awards made BAA
the biggest winner of the night. One of its
own, Karabo Sibanda, became the light of the
night as Sportsperson of the Year, the BNSC’s
most prestigious award that came with a cash
prize of P80 000.
The 400m sensation had earlier won the
Junior Sports Person of the Year award that
made him P17 000 richer. Not surprisingly,
Sibanda’s trainer, Mogomomotsi Otsetswe,
became Coach of the Year. The 4x400m relay
team beat the karate national team to the
Team of the Year award.
It was also a night of cheers for chess that
won three awards when former president of
Thapelo Francis became Sportswoman of
the Year while BCF beat Botswana Cricket
Association and BAA to the Code of the Year
award.
Tshegofatso Tsiang of Botswana Tennis
Association won the Junior Sportsperson
of the Year award after beating Galefele
Moroko of BAA and BCF’s Besa Masaite
while Ofentse Bakwadi was named Best
Sportsman of the Year. Botswana Judo
Federation’s Estony Pridge became Best
Non-citizen of the Year Administrator after
beating Zilwelwe Kumalo of rugby.
The BFA’s Joshua Bondo became Referee
of the Year while Botswana Tertiary School
B ot swa na C h e s s Sports Association (BOTESSA) won the
Group Code of the Year award.
Meanwhile, for the first time this year,
the BNSC included awards for Sports People
with Disabilities that went to Nonofo Zigwa
and Keatlaretse Mabote for women’s and
men’s categories respectively.
The BNSC Chairperson’s Award went to
Vincent Crossbie of Motorsport Botswana
after he pulled a fundraising feat. Crossbie
qualified for the Dakar Rally last year, and
although lack of funds almost prevented
him from travelling to the competition,
he raised P5 million and made it to the
prestigious motorsport event.
BNSC chairman Solly Reikeletseng
described Crossbie’s effort as both
an emotional one and an exemplary
feat that could not go unnoticed. It
seemed a befitting end to a glitzy
night themed “Now and Beyond.”
BOOK REVIEW
Continued From Page 42
resources in transparent, competitive
bidding processes. Most importantly, the
Nigerians are taking measures to ensure
that the fruits of this endowment are
invested, so that as the country's natural
resources are depleted, its real wealth -
fixed and human capital - is increased.
Western governments can help with
common-sense reforms. Secret bank
accounts not only support terrorism,
but also facilitate the corruption that
undermines development. Similarly,
transparency would be encouraged if
only payments that are fully documented
were tax deductible. Violent conflict is
fed and its effects worsened by massive
sales of arms by Western governments
to developing countries. This should be
stopped.
Abundant natural resources can and
should be a blessing, not a curse. We know
what must be done. What is missing is the
political will to make it so.
• Joseph E. Stiglitz, recipient of
the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic
Sciences in 2001 and the John Bates Clark
Medal in 1979, is University Professor
at Columbia University, Co-Chair of
the High-Level Expert Group on the
Measurement of Economic Performance
and Social Progress at the OECD,
and Chief Economist of the Roosevelt
Institute. A former senior vice president
and chief economist of the World Bank
and chair of the US president’s Council of
Economic Advisers under Bill Clinton, in
2000 he founded the Initiative for Policy
Dialogue, a think tank on international
development based at Columbia
University. His most recent book is
The Euro: How a Common Currency
Threatens the Future of Europe.
.
. . . . . .
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www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 49

COMMUNITY
General Masire Celebrates
Birthday with Kasi Children
A fortuitous connection was made with a legendary multi-racial South African township that
was razed to the ground by apartheid police in the 1950s when General Masire (rtd) and his THC
Foundation chose Bontleng’s Kofifi Park as the venue for this year’s Orphans and Vulnerable
Children’s Party. The salubrious event inspired this belated salutation to the gallant people of
the twilight township
General Masire (rtd)
Words: DOUGLAS TSIAKO & TUDUETSO TEBAPE
Almost certainly
Vulnerable Children’s Party, an annual
unbeknownst to them, delectation provided by THC Foundation
50 children from the whose leading figure and founder is
low-income, high density Lieutenant General Tebogo Masire,
neighbourhood of
the retired fourth Commander of the
Bontleng and a bountiful benefactor Botswana Defence Force.
recently made a symbolic connection Now seemingly an untrammelled
with South Africa’s resurging township force for good in civilian life, Masire
of Sophiatown near Johannesburg. had ‘manoeuvred’ for his Foundation’s
The occasion was the Orphans and annual children’s party this year to
50
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017
coincide with his birthday on July 21.
But it is the chosen venue of Bontleng’s
Kofifi Park - which is something of an
oasis that stands out in contrast to the
ghettoised environment that is the rest
of the neighbourhood - that made the
symbolic connection with Sophiatown,
Jo’burg’s legendary township of
contrasts where shebeens, gangsters
and shamans coexisted with churches,
pastors and cinemas in a bustling multiracial
culture that prioritised education
and worship of God against a stack of
odds made in hell during the 1940s and
‘50s.
But more than anything else, it was
jazz, kwela and the blues’ uniquely ‘
Kofifi’ notes that gave Sophiatown its
character and by means of which the
township expressed its sorrows and
defiantly cheerful spirit to the world.
“Kofifi” was the name by which the
hardy citizens of this place of feasts
and fiascos referred to their township
where a particular taal or lingua franca
developed from all its constituent
languages and followed closely on jazz
and the blues to define all things that
carried the provenance of Sophiatown.
THC hosted the party in an effort
to enliven the children of the twilight
township of Bontleng and put a smile
on their faces, if only for a while. The
charity’s Coordinator, Kaboyaone
Keitshupang, has since told inBusiness
that the 50 children who came to have
a good time with their benefactor
were aged between 3 and 7 years.
The Foundation had engaged with

Bontleng’s Village Development
Committee (VDC) to determine eligibility
beforehand. “In addition to a meal, the
children received hampers with a party
pack and T-shirts,” Keitshupang said.
Formed in 2012 by General Masire,
THC Foundation is a registered
non-profit organisation dedicated
to supporting women and children
who fall victim to domestic violence.
The charity takes its names from the
initials of the given names of the retired
general, Tebogo Horatious Carter. The
Orphans and Vulnerable Children’s
Party itself is an annual event hosted
and sponsored by THC Foundation with
support from willing entities. “We are
open to collaboration from other entities
to help us host the children’s party,”
Keitshupang explained.
Remaining events on THC
Foundation’s calendar for this year
include a donation of school shoes to
children in Palapye. This will take place
at the Central District town’s Catholic
Church on a date that is yet to be
announced.
Meanwhile, the apartheid regime
had brought its hand to lean heavily on
Kofifi’s black folks when - under the socalled
Natives Resettlement Act of 1951
- it forcibly moved them from the poor
but vibrant township to Meadowlands
in Soweto in 1955. Coloureds were
trekked to Eldorado Park, Indians to
Lenasia, while the Chinese component
of Sof’town was carted -
fighting for space
with all their
worldly
possessions in the back of open trucks succeed because nostalgia is driving a
- to central Johannesburg to make way pining for a return to a township that had
for working class whites as the brutal a distinct place in time and space as
sacrilege of apartheid unfolded.
defined by its unique taal or lingo, and
In the wake of the forced removals, where danger lurked at every corner in
much of the legendary township was the midst of profound religious devotion,
reduced to rubble. However, the advent an eagerness for education, as well as
of democracy in South Africa has seen a predilection for jazz and penchant for
a vigorous attempt to resettle Kofifi the blues.
and return it to its oorsprongklike,
Sof’town was an improbable
though admittedly retro style, status concatenation – at once symbiotic
of vibrant multi-culturism. To that end, and unplanned – of contraries where
considerable racial diversity is being condemnation was always in lockstep
achieved – without contrivance, it has with celebration. This is the township of
to be noted - because by 2011, 26.8% old that was home to Dr A. B. Xaba of
of the 5 371 people there were Black the ANC; Can Themba of Drum when
Africans, 25.8% of them Coloured, 5.1% the magazine mattered the more; writer,
Indian/Asian, 41.4% white while ‘Others’ actor and journalist Bloke Modisane;
made up 0.8%. The main languages of Oliver Tambo of the ANC; protest poet
the new Kofifi were Afrikaans (44.5%), Don Mattera; jazz songstress Thandi
English (31.9%), SeTswana (4.7%), Klaasen; the irrepressible Percy Xoboza
isiZulu (4.5 %) while the portion for of The World; writer Mongane Wally
‘Other Languages’ stood at 14.4%. Serote and trumpeter, flugelhornist,
While this may still be a far cry from composer and singer Hugh Masekela, to
the 54 000 Africans, 3 000 Coloureds, name but a few.
500 Indians and 686 Chinese who lived And such is indeed the connection
in Sophiatown in the late 1940s, – of contiguity of land as of the human
the
project spirit - between people and places in
should Botswana and South Africa that one
could almost name the latter two Kofifi
notables, Serote and Masekela, as
Botswana’s own because they trained,
entertained and wailed with many out
of a small house in the very Bontleng
when the township was home to Medu
Art Ensemble during their long years in
exile.
This they did alongside Bachana
Mokwena and his delightful wife Miriam,
MK commander George Phahle and
his social worker wife Lindy, lilting
songstress Sonti Ndebele, as well as
renowned artist Thamsanqa Mnyele.
Sadly, Bra Thami, who was also a
trained insurgent, ‘The Big George’
and Ous Lindy perished in the June 14
(1984) raid by apartheid commandos
on Gaborone while Bachana was
killed in a booby-trapped car
that left Miriam an invalid when
the couple was returning from
the burial of another victim of
apartheid death squads, ANC
human rights lawyer Bheki
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 51

Mlangeni, in 1991 in Soweto.
Thus can it be said that by choosing
the park named after Sophiatown of old
for this year’s Orphans and Vulnerable
Children’s Party, THC Foundation was
making a symbolic connection with
history and hope for the future of the
children it entertained on its founder’s
birthday. Here is Gabs’ own township of
feats of enterprise in the midst of what
is quite a bleak province of poverty,
shining forth as beacons of hope for
the future of its children. Among them
are human rights lawyer Dick Bayford,
Kenneth Koma of the BNF, South African
saxophonist Steve Dyer, the BNF’s
Frank Marumo and that football fanatic
of a lawyer, Tebogo Sebego.
The township of stylish ‘clevers’ like
Gregory was also the birthplace of The
Scaras (sp) band among whose players
were guitarist Wonder Suping, drummer
Sello Bogatsu, bassist Elvis Mphaere
and rhythm guitarist White Kgopo, all
of whom regularly met at a intriguinglynamed
house for practice before
wooing weekend crowds alongside that
outstanding woman on piano, Dineo, at
the Town Hall, Ngotwane
Club, Bontleng
Community
Centre, and
occasionally
the National
Stadium
or even
Tsholetsa
House.
Trumpeter, composer and singer,
Sensei Socca Sello Alexander
Moruakgomo, who lived at Extension
2, remembers often walking through
‘Los My Cherry’ (White City) and across
Independence Avenue to watch, hear
and admire the band in practice at
‘Hector Pore,’ as the house where
The Scaras were based was called,
and is thankful to Gale Letsatsi for
putting together “such an inspirational
ensemble”. After two years of guesting
in and out as lead singer for another
Bontleng band, Mother, Socca would
be confirmed in the position in 1977
following sitting his JC exams at
Mahalapye Secondary School the year
before.
Socialite Noni Pilane – who was
known as much for her beauty and
sartorial statements as she was for
her “Saturday Morning Sounds” soul
music programme on Radio Botswana
at a time when RB had considerable
following in Soweto and beyond - lived
here too. So too did guitarist Chris
Malwetse Lefatshe, bassist Madolo
‘Dollar Brand’ Paledi and Malombo
Mmereki, all three of whom at one
stage ‘disbanded’ from Moloise’s The
Originals to form Imagine where
singing soul man, Tsilo Baitsile,
first came to prominence
under Dennis Alexander’s
management.
But if the Scaras’ Dineo was
nimblefingered
on the piano, Thelma Segola’s style
was nifty and experimental right there
on stage. Both women had a touch and
go disposition that was at once risky
and refreshing as it courted discord
while prodding the rest of the band to
flow together in a rhythmic euphony
that pleased the audience. Debate that
followed their shows was invariably
marked by a see-saw observation that
often led fans to conclude that both
Dineo and Thelma had an equal amount
of the piano passion.
Led by guitarist Selby Ntuli, Thelma’s
Harari – formerly The Beaters - was
a star-studded combo that included
Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse (drums), Alec
Khaoli (bass), Monty ‘Saitana’ Ndimande
(guitar), Barney Rachabane, Lionel
Petersen, Condry Siqudu and Sello
‘Chicco’ Twala. They were a regular
feature on Gaborone’s music scene
throughout the late-1960s and the ’70s
whose leading lights had residential
addresses at the twilight township of
Bontleng.
So too was Ricky Molefe’s rather
unconventionally-named band, Every
Mother’s Son, and The Minerals of Kori
Moraba fame before Lekofi Sejeso,
Ofentse ‘Bole’ Moagi and Banjo Mosele
made a dramatic, though evanescent,
exclamation mark on the tableau
with The Incrowds in the mid-1970s.
This was at least a decade before
Banjo would tour the world with Hugh
52
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017

Masekela’s ‘Made In Botswana’ Kalahari
band and shore up his resume as a
session musician for the likes of Jonas
Gwangwa, Peter Gabriel, Julian Bahula,
Bheki Mseleku and Barney Rachabane
on the London music scene. The music
reflected the maladies that were in the
trials and tribulations of daily life in
the townships of Botswana and South
Africa. But more than this, there were
also in it rebellious melodies of triumphs
and victories over the profanation of
humanity that apartheid so sought to
attain.
But perhaps more notably, in addition
to Medu Art Ensemble, Bontleng
was the location of the ANC office in
Botswana through to the time when this
country grew in its significance for the
liberation struggle in its entirety. Parallel
to the country’s import, Medu too grew
to become the cultural and information
force behind the world’s largest
liberation movement in history, the
African National Congress, publishing
hard-hitting newsletters, pamphlets and
posters against apartheid propaganda
and lies for distribution at population
centres across South Africa.
But beyond the broader liberation
struggle, the most engrossing and
successful of these campaigns had
a direct bearing on Botswana whose
founding president, Seretse Khama,
was credited with conceptualisation
of the Southern African Development
Coordination Conference (SADCC,
forerunner to SADC) for the region’s
common economic development
in order to lessen dependence on
apartheid South Africa.
Concerned that SADCC had good
prospects of success, the apartheid
regime of P. W. Botha responded with
what it supposed was a comprehensive
political, economic and ideological
tool to counter and invalidate SADCC
before what was essentially an
economic version of the Frontline
States could even take off as a bloc,
while the scheme guaranteed apartheid
South Africa’s eternal hegemony. The
instrument by which this would be
achieved was a cumbersomely-named
Constellation of Southern African States
as a Bulwark Against Communism.
But as soon as ‘Die Groot Krokodil,’
as the finger-wagging Botha was called
by his fawning band of mainly Afrikaner
followers, Medu got to
work designing and
publishing pamphlets
and posters that
denounced his
stratagem as the
work of ‘Die Groot
Duiwel’ (the Great
Devil) before
distributing
these
everywhere
that mattered
through a massive
underground
network that both
Medu and the ANC
had established and
come to master. On
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www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 15 | 2017 53

1 April 1980, nine states ratified the living bodies for making muti for the
Lusaka Declaration that was entitled benefit of men not of Bontleng should
“Southern Africa: Towards Economic be in the same vicinage.
Liberation.” Medu and the people of This is the township of Capital
Bontleng had played their part to ensure Continuation Classes, the famous
that the peoples of southern Africa and “Triple C” where ignorance was
the ozone layer would never be exposed frowned upon and failure vigorously
to Botha’s toilet-inspired scheme. combated. Sophisto the Shaman - that
It is today difficult to imagine any of UB-trained educationist - has been
this work flourishing elsewhere in the practising his divination, necromancy
Botswana capital, especially in the and healing here for years. As did Ous
upmarket suburbs between Tlokweng Nancy her shebeen run with much
Road and Nyerere Drive where the custom from the adjacent community
children are oft flush and coddled. It of ‘Poly,’ as Botswana Polytechnic was
could work only in Bontleng where a known before it became a collegiate
park named Kofifi flourishes as a beacon part of UB. As a matter of fact, June’s
of hope for the future of the largely Mother’s ‘speakeasy’ often served as
underprivileged children there and an alternative venue for honouring “First
beyond. At this place of contradictions, Ladies of the Warsaw Pact,” an semiformal
gala affair where (male) members
it is by no means an incongruity that
the University of Botswana’s Faculty of of Medu and cadres of the ANC and MK
Science and Engineering and a house treated their good wives and beloved
where children have been rumoured to girlfriends to a sumptuous repast and
be hidden in order to cut parts off their much merriment in an evening full of
A young 16-year old Hugh Masekela leaping in the air, clutching the trumpet that had
been sent to him by Louis Armstrong. PIC Alf Kumalo
jazz, kwela, the blues and laughter.
The ‘stokvel’ had a touch of innocence
in that the men, usually without two
coins to rub together, would have had to
save for this once in a teen’s life prom.
The women – resplendently nacreous in
their special arrays - responded to the
extraordinary chivalry with captivating
gladness and charm. The electromagnetism
that filled the room was the
stuff of stories of enchantment in which
grown men drink breast milk. This was a
once-a-year occasion at Easter to which
everyone came dressed to the nines
and determined to have a swell at a time
when a woman elect of God was giving
birth to the Messiah so that humanity
may be saved.
At this township of monotheists, patron
saints and badimo in the midst of the
Afro-centric order of the foot-stomping
ZCC, a wider sweep of the metaphysics
included liberating the NGK Calvinist
lot from its godless interpretation of the
Word. But in more practical terms, the
so-called Great Unwashed of Bontleng
had such a benevolently broad worldview
that they fully understood the obligation
of third countries to assist legitimate
liberation movements with “men,
materials and territory” without having
to hear it from the United Nations, or
League of Nations before it.
Still it is ultimately the beacons of
light from the two Kofifi townships -
Dick Bayford, Bra Wally, Don Mattera
and Sonti Ndebele among them - who
represent a true constellation of hope
for the children, rather than ‘Die Groot
Duiwel se werk’ of P.W. Botha. The
lilting songstress lives and returns to
Botswana often, this country being the
land of Sonti’s mother’s birth. Building
on General Masire’s synergy, she should
one day come to ‘serenade’ more
children of Ba ba Ntle, The Beautiful
People of Bontleng, at Kofifi Park
because she knows well how the polity of
this township, its science and mysticism,
permitted it to embrace her country’s
struggle for liberation and welcome
oracles of the Botswana Dingaka
Association in equal measure.
54
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Visit Your Nearest Branch/ Sales
Branch
Head Office
Private Bag 0053 | Gaborone
Tel: 395 1341 | Fax: 395 2926
Serowe Branch
Private Bag Rs 1 | Serowe
Tel/Fax: 463 0291
Rasebolai
Moshupa Branch
P O Box 244 | Moshupa
Tel: 544 9232 | Fax: 544 9205
Pitsane Branch
P O Box 71 | Pitsane
Tel: 548 6205/ 540 7292
Fax: 540 7164
Gaborone Branch
Plot 14395 | New Lobatse Rd.
G/ West Industrial | Next to Cashbuild
Gaborone
Tel: 392 2826/ 316 2039
Fax: 318 2461
Selibe-Phikwe Branch
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Tel: 261 0455
Fax: 261 1810
Pandamatenga Branch
P O Box 107 | Kasane
Tel: 623 2013 | Fax: 623 2204
Francistown Branch
(Dumela Industrial)
P O Box 649 | Francistown
Tel: 241 3886/ 241 9546
Fax: 241 3672
Kanye Branch
P O Box 594 | Kanye
Tel: 540 3316| Fax: 544 0644
Mahalapye Branch
P O Box 439
Tel: 471 0249 | Fax: 472 0351
Maun Branch
P O Box 383 | Maun
Tel: 686 0392 | Fax: 680 0978
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P O Box 151 | Palapye
Tel: 492 0291 | Fax: 490 0291
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Tel: 651 0343
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Tel: 590 6050
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Tel: 247 0005
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Tel: 588 3311
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(Next to BTCL)Tel:241 3870
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For more information
call 395 1341 or
email: Communications@bamb.co.bw
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