11 Oct 2015

Debswana managing director, Mr Balisi Bonyongo has commended Kalahari Conservation Society (KCS) patron and also President of Botswana, Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama for his support on initiatives geared towards protecting endangered species.

President Khama was among dignitaries who attended the annual KCS fundraising dinner on Friday (October 9) held under the theme Promoting sustainable mining for future generations.

Mr Bonyongo noted that Debswana had worked closely with key stakeholders, including government, to protect endangered species.

As such, he said the company had set aside more than 65 000 hectares of land around the mining lease areas in Jwaneng, Orapa and Morupule for conservation, while their game parks provided a refuge for many species of animals, including endangered species.

He indicated that with a growing population of white rhino, the Orapa Game Park had become one of the important centres of rhino conservation in Botswana and in Southern Africa.

On the other hand, he said mines must ensure that they carried out their activities in a responsible manner to conserve the environment and also contribute to development of their host communities.

He indicated that said they were aware that mining business disturbed land and had potential to disrupt ecosystems if mining companies did not make an effort to understand the impact of their operations and associated risks on the environment.

Nonetheless, Bonyongo said in the past decade, there was growth in demand for commodities and natural resources.

Since 2009, he said they had to operate in a very volatile global economic environment and mining companies around the world faced increasingly strict environment requirements.

Further, he said Debswana’s efforts in conservation and environmental protection supported the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals.

 

“Debswana has made a commitment of Zero Net Loss of Biodiversity and continues to take seriously the responsibility to manage and minimise the impact of mining operations on the environment,” he said. Ends