Francistown thrives on Zimbabwe crisis

30 March, 2009 in Botswana, Business, Zimbabwe

source: Standay Standard
by Bashi Letsididi
29.03.2009

When she says that for the sake of her business she hopes the Zimbabwean economic crisis lasts a while longer, a manager at a Francistown bookshop is only half-joking.

Just the previous day a Zimbabwean businessman had bought up all vista foils at her bookshop and taken them back home where he runs a similar operation.

Francistown does indeed do a lot of business with Zimbabwe. On a daily basis, Zimbabweans pour in and out of Francistown to buy all sorts of goods. On some days, it is near impossible to find rented accommodation in the city because of patronage from across the border. Some of the guests would be in town to collect remittances sent by relatives living and working abroad.
Former Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower president, Iqbal Ibrahim, says that he has always held the view that the economic crisis in Zimbabwe has been good for the city that he was once mayor of.

“We have benefitted from the misery of other people,” Ibrahim says.
That view is echoed by Mosalagae Sesupeng, another Francistown businessman who [continue reading]

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