In November, the City of Francistown Council released what they referred to as the "Draft Guidelines for Car Washing Facilities". The guidelines outline several development standards which car wash operators are supposed to abide by in order to be approved and allowed to operate by the City Council

To say that these new guidelines are ridiculous would be a huge understatement. Not only are they oblivious to the socio-economic nuances of this country, but in the long run, they are going to backfire not only on the City Council itself but also on the residents of Francistown.

In a country with over 35% youth unemployment, informal businesses like car washes are a means of earning a living for hundreds of young people in Francistown who have been failed by this country's ineffective employment creation policies.

These regulations for car washes being suggested by the City Council will take away a means of earning a living for so many of these young people. How many car wash operators will be able to do things like submitting site plans, hiring waste and oil collectors, building parking spaces, erecting 1.8-meter walls, connecting to sewer networks etc in order to build a compliant car wash facility? What will happen is that because of noncompliance, these businesses will be forced to close or be demolished which will lead to a considerable number of operators turning to crime to fend for themselves.

These new guidelines cannot be allowed to be implemented. They will create a domino effect of undesired consequences which will hurt not only the car wash operators who will have their businesses taken away from them but also the residents of Francistown who will have to deal with even more crime as a result of the blind planning by this incompetent City Council.