Africa-Press – Botswana. Businesses in Selebi-Phikwe saw a surge in activity during the recent Orange Phikwe National Marathon, highlighting the erstwhile copper-mining town’s economic reliance on high-profile events.
Since the closure of BCL Mine in Selebi-Phikwe in October 2016 that resulted in 6,000 job losses, the town has struggled to maintain steady economic activity.
Once driven by mining salaries and spending, Selebi-Phikwe has seen businesses scale down or shut as disposable income dried up.
Event-driven foot traffic
Local businesses now largely rely on event-driven foot traffic to generate income. One such occasion was the Selebi-Phikwe Softball Extravaganza over the President’s Day long weekend recently.
Hotels and guesthouses reported full occupancy, shops and liquor outlets saw long queues, taxis ran continuously, and street vendors also benefitted from the influx of visitors.
A similar pattern emerged during last weekend’s Orange Phikwe National Marathon. Once again, accommodation was at full capacity, retail outlets were busy, and vendors near the stadium reported strong sales.
Happy hotdog vendor
Tebogo Modisapudi, who sold hotdogs and chips at the stadium, said the marathon had a positive impact on his business.
“Even though I’m yet to count the money to see how much profit I made, we moved a good quantity,” he said. “We did better than in regular weekends.”
Modisapudi added that better preparation would have resulted in more improved sales. “Next time, we will align our offerings more with sports and morning activities,” he said.
Over 2,000 registered for marathon
Selebi-Phikwe Town Clerk, Lawrence Mokotedi, has confirmed that over 2,000 participants registered for the marathon, saying the town continues to explore ways of stimulating commerce in the absence of the mine.
“For a long time, this town depended on BCL Mine, but things became tough after its closure,” he noted. “We have come up with ways to keep the town busy and support businesses.”
While the economic uplift from such events is temporary, they offer a glimpse into the potential role of sports and tourism in reviving local enterprise.
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