Citizens push for more stake in mining
FRANCISTOWN: Chief executive officer of the Local Enterprise Authority, Dr Racious Moatshe has called on government and the business community to open dialogue concerning how more Batswana can be elevated to playing a central role in the country’s mining particularly going into ownership (of mines).
Moatshe was amongst the speakers at the ‘Trade Up North’ mining, manufacturing and construction exhibition held here this week. The exhibition featured a seminar where Moatshe and other stakeholders participated.
Additionally, the exhibition is held biannually in Francistown. It presents the latest technologies, equipment, services, and machinery used in mining, manufacturing as well as construction in Botswana. It also provides a networking opportunity for participating stakeholders.
During the seminar, there were strong concerns that the local mining industry is entirely in the hands of foreign multinational firms. Batswana through their businesses only play a supporting role in the country’s mining sector by doing much sand mining, which is not lucrative. Diamonds, copper and coal operations amongst others, are in the hands of foreigners.
“The time has now come to engage in serious dialogue in terms of how citizens or citizen consortiums can be encouraged and supported to take a leading role in the country’s mining sector (big mining operations).
We now have to discuss how the skills of our people can be combined to ensure that Batswana benefit directly from huge mining activities by going into ownership,” Moatshe said at the seminar.
There have been concerns that Batswana, who want to own big mining operations, face several barriers amongst them finance for exploration and general operations. For this reason, Moatshe posited that financial institutions should also be made part of the dialogue in terms of how Batswana can navigate financial barriers to up their role in mining.
“Engagements with banks should focus on how they can assist Batswana to engage in expensive mining processes such as exploration and general operations.”
Selebi-Phikwe mayor, Lucas Modimana was also amongst those who expressed concern about Batswana not playing a significant role in the mining sector particularly when it comes to ownership of mines.
He said that for so many years there have been concerns that Batswana are not playing a telling role in the country’s mining industry apart from just playing a supporting role such as the provision of services to big multinational mining firms.
“The country should commission a study aimed at finding out why Batswana are reluctant to go into mining most notably as owners. We have many Batswana who are skilled enough to go into mining. The study can also help come up with interventions or strategies that will encourage citizens to go into mining.”
Meanwhile, when presenting at the seminar, Principal Minerals Officer at the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resource, Onthusitse Melaetsa said government has in the past issued major mining licences to Batswana.
He, however, said that in some instances the said licences were sold to foreigners. “In some instances, we found out that those allocated licences had provided erroneous information or did not have finances to undertake mining activities they had applied for.”