15 Sep 2014

BCL general manager, Mr Daniel Mahupela has commended Tati Nickel Mining Company (TNMC) employees for donating their leave days towards the mine’s social corporate social responsibility.

Speaking at the end of a 20 kilometre TNMC Managing Director’s annual sponsored walk on September 13, Mr Mahupela said with resource scarcity, it was a commendable initiative by employees to donate their leave days towards the charity walk.

The walk was aimed at raising funds to build houses for the less privileged members of the community. Mr Mahupela noted that the country was faced with a challenge of orphans that needed houses.

He observed that a person without a place called home had low esteem and there was need for companies to assist in building houses for those in need.

He said the walk was also about fitness and health which are vital in maintaining a productive human resource. The BCL GM also noted that the walk was not only about charity as it afforded participants opportunity from all sectors to interact.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, TNMC acting managing director, Mr Ditiro Lentswe said the walk was introduced in 2010 to support the mine’s corporate social responsibility programme.

He said through funds raised from the walk every year the mine assisted the communities in a radius of 20 kilometres from the mine and so far a total of five houses were built in Matshelagabedi, Matopi and Matsiloje.

Apart from building houses, Mr Lentswe said other funds were used to assist charitable institutions such as SOS. He said the mine did not only engage in the social aspect of the communities in the vicinity but also assist in the business aspect.

He cited that the mine funded tanneries, factory shells, poultries and a horticultural garden in the villages as a way of creating job opportunities for the communities.

He however said due to the attitude of some of the beneficiary entrepreneurs the projects did not do well. For his part, TNMC communications manager, Mr Tebogo Rapitsenyane said as at last week, the mine’s employees raised P230 000 through donate a day but he was optimistic that the funds would rise to P260 000.

The walk was themed “We Care” and Mr Rapitsenyane said the theme was close to the mine’s tagline of “Tati Nickel Cares” which was supported by the emphasise on caring for employees, the environment and communities around the mine.

A representative of the North East District Council, Ms Sarah Bailaphuti applauded the mine’s initiative and said her council was blessed as most villages that benefitted from the walk fell in the jurisdiction of her council.

A Botswana Mine Workers Union representative, Mr Thatayotlhe Mpule commended the mine’s employees saying they were contributing to self-reliance an element that was enshrined in the constitution.

Mr Mpule said the union did only advocate for increase in members’ salaries but also wanted to see people participating in charitable activities. Ends