PLOTTING PHIKWE’S COMEBACK
Premium Nickel reach out to SMES
In its efforts to revitalise Selebi Phikwe, Premium Nickel Resources Botswana (PNRB) have organised a capacity building workshop for small medium enterprises (SMES), informal traders and youth.
The two-day event, dubbed ‘Tsholofelo Carnival’, is scheduled to take place from 27th - 28th September at Syringa Lodge, with the aim of developing a spirit of entrepreneurship in the mining town.
In October 2016, BCL closed its doors,
rendering 5 000 jobless overnight.
Almost six years later and Phikwe remains a shadow of its former self - a sorry situation PNRB are desperate to change.
Speaking to Voice Money, PNRB Environmental, Social and Governance Manager, Shamil Agosi, explained the platform will provide a pitch session for attendants to share new business ideas.
“Since the mine closed, there has been zero to no economic activities. Even now, some businesses are still closing down! So, this is an opportunity to bring together all traders such that they come with innovative ideas for new businesses as well as improving their current entities,” she said.
Promising not to leave anyone behind in their mission to spark new life into the town, Agosi added, “This is all about empowerment and, considering the demographics of the informal sector, we are expecting a huge turn-out.
“Locals have been resilient and waiting with the hope that the mine will reopen and get their jobs back. Through this project, we have partnered with various stakeholders, being the private sector, government, parastatals and council to see what we can do together to aid local entrepreneurs since this is a community programme,” said Agosi, whose company acquired BCL Mine’s Selebi South and Selebi North Shafts earlier this year.
The Tsholofelo Carnival will also include an exhibition showcasing arts and crafts as well as visual arts.