- Express hope for changed stance on import restrictions under new govt
BONGANI MALUNGA
South Africa has implored Botswana’s new government to revisit the vegetable import restrictions and revoke it.
The country’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronaldo
Lamola, is adamant that the restrictions are not mutually beneficial and has confirmed that both parties are currently engaged in talks with the aim of reaching a favourable conclusion.
Optimistic
Earlier this year, former president Mokgweetsi Masisi declared an intention to uphold the vegetable import restrictions in order to promote self-sufficiency and uplift local farmers.
The South African government is optimistic that the change of government in Botswana will present a change in the country’s political and policy thrust that will pave the way for more consultative trade talks.
Addressing a press conference recently, Lamola said the presence of his country’s vice president Paulus Mashatile at President Duma Boko’s inauguration demonstrated the strong ties between the two countries.
Mutual interests
He added that addressing the vegetable import restrictions was crucial to forging a renewed partnership centred on mutual interests.
“We look forward to continuing fraternal bilateral relations with the Republic of Botswana on issues of trade and the unilateral ban on South African products in Botswana,” Lamola said. “We will engage with the incoming administration.
“There is engagement ongoing. We will continue doing so because we do not think that it is mutually beneficial to either ourselves or Botswana. So there’s a ground of engagement in a frank, cordial and friendly way between two neighbours.”
Improved trade relations
In addition to Lamola’s views, South Africa’s Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, has reiterated his intention to find a way to manouevre around Botswana’s vegetable import restrictions.
He recently told South Africa’s Business Day Live that he was hopeful that Botswana’s electoral outcome would enable improved trade relations regarding the country’s restrictions on fresh produce from South Africa.
Over the past few months, Steenhuisen stated his willingness to hold talks with the governments of Botswana and Namibia to explore ways of convincing both nations to revoke their restrictions on importation of vegetables from South Africa.