Botswana's VP commends Chinese company for skills transfer

Botswana's Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Thursday commended China's Zhengtai Group for transferring "much needed skills" to Botswana employees.

Masisi made the remarks at the company's annual artisan development expo competitions held at the construction site of Botswana Innovative Hub in Gaborone.

Zhengtai, which in the past years has delivered a series of construction projects including Lobatse Sports Complex, Gaborone's Sebele Shopping Center, is the contractor of the hub.

In the recent years, Zhengtai continuously holds training classes and skills competitions for the local workers and has spared great effort to help the vulnerable with varieties of donations and sponsorship.

Thirty-four Botswana workers from Zhengtai's five projects in Botswana participated the competition.

Zhengtai's training program and the competition "give hope that a new way of doing business is emerging within the construction industry," said Masisi.

Since 2011, more than 1,000 semi-skilled and unskilled labors have benefited from the training. "This is a highly commendable feat for the management of Zhengtai," said the vice president.

Masisi also called on other companies to initiate similar programs.

"The Chinese embassy has always been supporting and encouraging Chinese Enterprises operating in Botswana to hold similar activities," said Chinese Ambassador to Botswana Zheng Zhuqiang.

He encouraged Chinese enterprises to "learn each others' good experience, provide training to more local labors, build better enterprises cultural environment," so that to contribute more to Botswana's social and economic development. Endit