Bereng Mpaki

NALELI’S Mpeoa Supermarket on Friday won a brand-new Toyota Hilux 2×4 bakkie worth M282 000, the grand prize for the Ecocash cash-in promotion.

The competition ran from June 2019 until March this year.

Econet services acting general manager ‘Makatleho Raphoolo said Mpeoa emerged as the overall winner after exceeding all monthly targets set in terms of cash-in deposits and the number of transactions during the nine-month long campaign.

She said the competition is meant to empower young entrepreneurs while also accelerating financial inclusion through the mobile money platform, Ecocash also known as Sepache Fono in Sesotho.

“The criteria used to enter the draw was based on the number of ‘cash- ins’ and transactions agents make monthly from which an agent who has generated the highest growth won,” Ms Raphoolo said during the Friday draw.

“So, Mpeoa was the top performer and registered the highest growth percentage among all agents.”

The competition also rewarded top performing agents during monthly draws at district level. Winning agents were awarded M1000 monthly prizes totaling M70 000.

“Our agents are important to us since our Ecocash business would be nothing without them.”

Mpeoa Supermarket representative, Mosa Mpeoa said he was overjoyed with the win as he did not see it coming.

“I am grateful for winning this vehicle. I never saw it coming. I am lost for words to describe my joy. I therefore, thank Econet for this prize,” Mr Mpeoa.

Small Business Development, Cooperatives and Marketing minister Keketso Sello who graced the draw, said winning was not always about luck but also about hard work.

“Some people say winning is by luck but I see it differently as I believe people win because of hard work. Today’s win was not because Mpeoa was lucky but because of hard work.”

He also called on Mpeoa to make good use of the vehicle and use it to further its business.

Mr Sello said the competition was a good motivator for agents to work and grow the small business sector.

For his part, ETL chief executive officer Dennis Plaatjies congratulated the winners saying they play a crucial role in modernising financial inclusion.

“Through your work, you are helping the country to advance financial inclusion through mobile money, which is the direction the rest of the world is going.”

Meanwhile, four other top performing agents around the country were also handed certificates of appreciation by Econet. These are Blits Boutique from Mokhotlong, Infotime from Maseru, SPU Stationery and Communication from Qacha’s Nek and Simma communications from Maseru. Mpeoa Supermarket, representing Berea district also got a certificate.