10 Feb 2015

The Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Mr Kitso Mokaila, told Parliament on February 9 that Botswana Geoscience Institute is in the process of being established which would increase the number of parastatals under his ministry to three.

Currently there are two parastatals in his ministry namely Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) and Water Utilities Corporations (WUC)

Minister Mokaila further said Water Utilities Corporations is the only parastatal headed by a non-citizen, adding WUC Chief Executive Officer was recruited after the recruitment process failed to identify a suitable candidate locally after it was advertised internally and externally.

The decision to appoint a non-citizen, he said, was also informed by the fact that he was employed by the corporation as a transformational advisor and his appointment meant that he would now drive the transformation of the corporation as a CEO, rather than as an advisor.

Mr Mokaila further said WUC was in need of transformational leadership as it has grown from an organisation of less than 900 employees to 3 700 employees.

He said the plan was to localize the position at the end of the current contract.

Talking about BPC ,he said Director of Generation at BPC was an expatriate recently being transferred from transmission department after it was approved that he was the most experienced individual in the corporation to head the Generation department.

He said the director has Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, majoring in electrical engineers that was obtained in 1983 and has been a chartered engineer since 1989, with 25 years’ experience.

Selibe Phikwe West Member of Parliament, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse had wanted the minister to the number of parastatals under his ministry, those that are headed by citizens either as CEO, general managers or managing directors.

He had also wanted to know those that are headed by expatriates as CEO, general managers, or managing directors or equivalent and to state the reasons for having expatriates heading the positions.

Mr Keorapetse further wanted to know, if there were plans of localising the position, and if there were there the minister should explain to the Parliament.

The Minister was also to explain if there are expatriates employed in executive and senior management position of the said parastatals and to state their professions. ENDS