In his address to a youth policy forum recently, Vice President Slumber Tsogwane talked of the scourge of youth unemployment in Botswana, and among the things he said was: “We admit that youth unemployment is worrisome but we must now focus on youth mindset change where our young people become entrepreneurs and employers to help fight unemployment.” This is how the youth reacted:

GOVERNMENT BLOCKS THE YOUTH

You talk of youth entrepreneurs and it’s your government again blocking or making it hard for youth companies to participate and win tenders by introducing some ridiculous block-out tender requirements. You people must check how some tenders are tailor made and difficult for youth to even participate in. Youth is struggling because you are failing to make the environment conducive for them to grow in business. [O’NEAL MERAFHE]

AWARD TENDERS TO THE YOUTH

Since 1966 up to date you are changing the mindset of youth to be entrepreneurs but you award tenders to old people. How do you expect unemployment to be reduced. Nnyaa bathong re a sotlega. Even the maximum paying wage (sic) cannot meet the market price. [POELO TAU]

LET’S WAKE UP BATSWANA

We may criticise and talk all negative because it is Slumber talking and we seem to have disrespect for him for what I don’t know. But the truth is, we Batswana especially the youth need to change our mindset. Even from the comments one can tell that our mindset is that of people who feel the government owes us something. We talk of Nigerians, Chinese, Zimbabweans and other Asians flooding all businesses that should be done by us. When they were not here, did we care to start doing those businesses? We were busy chasing office employment while leaving business opportunities on the streets to be taken by Zimbabweans. Let’s wake up from our slumber Batswana [TSHEPO MOLEFHE]

GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE THE LAND

Jaanong Sir, give the youth money and land to carry out their business ideas. Young Batswana should own shops that sell phones and other accessories, sell building materials, own borehole drilling machines, own shopping malls, own trucks to transport river sand sand, own private ambulances, own pharmacies, own auto parts shops, produce food and other raw materials, own tyre service businesses and many other services that are owned by Indians, Zimbabwean, Chinese and other foreigners in our country. [MK MOSIPIDI]

ALSO CHANGE GOVERNMENT’S MINDSET

Billions paid to our foreign friends through government tenders yet we do not see growth or the payouts/ monies being reinvested back to Botswana. They do not diversify as a Motswana would because they don’t want to reinvest the money back to Botswana. Give these tenders to deserving Batswana diversification will be inevitable and entrepreneurs will be born. I think we also have change our government’s mindset [PETRUS MOLEFE]

FOREIGNERS RULE THIS COUNTRY

It is very difficult to penetrate the BW market these days because foreigners are all over doing every little business e ka bong e dirwa ke Motswana wa sekei. Tourism sector go laola makgowa; brick moulding, sales of aggregates (sand, concrete, pitsand) go laola maZimbabwe, sales of Japanese cars go laola maNigeria. Then a bo go nna le this issue ya monopoly bo Choppies ba simolotse go itemela, so they only buy a few from farmers. Gagamatsang melao tona go nne le a fair circulation ya madi. [DASHY KEROMANG]

BLAME THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

Our education system is poverty stricken. The standards do not match the international standards. It’s high time to introduce education with production like the Chinese. By the time a Chinese child does middle school he can make all sorts of things. Our government should start educating for the world not Botswana. Babusi ba paletswe ke go dira dibusiness mo bonaneng jwa bone, they are only now capturing the country’s economy for themselves. Where should the youth get experience when the leaders have failed in their youthful ages? Able students, meaning bright ones, should be left to further their education up to PHD. Batswana, re ta thanya lo le tsebeng. [BAKALANGA MUKANI]

WE WASTE TIME IN SCHOOLS

You don’t just wake up in the morning and say ke bula kgwebo - madi for materials a le kae? Gape ke lona le re tsentseng mentality wa gore Education is the key to success re a go tsaya bo 5 years ko universities from there those skills ga di re berekele because go tletse bo mmarona in offices. [MPATI MOGATLE]

WE SHUN DIRTY JOBS

Tota mathata a rona banana ba Botswana a mantsi. We still feel we cant be seen mo ditseleng re rekisa or welding or moulding bricks. We feel ke ditiro tsa maZimbabwe and yet bone they are making money and employing their own brothers. Next we build houses, buy cars to shine and go back to these Zimbabweans re ba kopa dithuso tse di kabong di dirwa ke rona Batswana. Ha gongwe before we blame goromente le rona re itebeng betsho. Pele ga maZim bat la, go ne go pala eng gore rona Batswana re tsene ka fa tlase ga ditlhare re loge basadi ba bangwe? The Zims under those trees ba dira bo P2000 ka letsatsi a logile basadi ba le ten ka 200pula each. Rona we want to open salons when we could have raised the capital from under a tree. [ABEL MMEKWANE]

IT’S STILL TOUGH OUT THERE

It’s a high time puso e lebella monana in general because letlhoko la tiro le le ntsi fela thata mo le ba tsenyang pressure and this pressure causes depression, they engage in drugs and frustration le yone e kalo becauase some have their educational certificates ga ba firwe, some have registered companies they try everyday mme ga go tle gore ba itatswe. Ba bangwe are local artists even they try themselves e a pala local empowerment.