The glamorous official opening of the store took place on Thursday at The Fields Mall. The event which attracted senior business officials, media, and influencers hosted the first flagship store in the capital.
The store is the 37th in Africa and one of five outside South Africa. Officiating at the event, Minister of Labour and Home Affairs Annah Mokgethi shared that as a ministry they welcome the opening of the store which has so far employed 13 young Batswana and have since trained and upskilled them as iOS experts.
“This is indeed gratifying given the rate of unemployment in Botswana, which is notably high. Let me emphasise that investing in economic growth is a surety towards the creation of much-needed employment opportunities. This will ultimately lead to sustained livelihoods, hence achievement of Botswana’s Vision 2036,” Mokgethi said.
Mokgethi commended the brand for staying afloat amidst the challenges that came with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We all know that it has not been easy for businesses to continue operations due to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, as some were forced to close.
You deserve a round of applause as you forged ahead, hence the milestone we are celebrating this evening. This is evident enough that your management system is effective to withstand even the most difficult circumstances,” the minister said.
iStore management at the launch said that they are still consulting with First National Bank of Botswana to come up with strategies which could make it easier for Batswana to purchase the products over a certain period.
