SA move costs Botswana jobs

South Africa's resoluteness regarding an export incentive scheme for textile manufacturers is forcing Botswana's largest textile company to close its doors in December 2009. About 5 000 jobs will be lost at Caratex Botswana, one of the neighbouring country's major earners of foreign exchange, when the company ceases trading at year-end according to its current managing director and owner Craig Chow. Chow said the decision had been taken because of the procrastination in arriving at a decision about the export incentive scheme. Ever since March manufacturers in the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) have been in the dark as to which products would finally qualify for the scheme.