22 Nov 2015

Former vice president, Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe says BCL Mine retirees and long service employees need to be acknowledged  for the service and effort they have put in the growth of the mine and the development of the country. 

He said during their long service the employees showed loyalty, dedication and commitment to their job and the organisation.

He was speaking during the long service and retiree’s awards that took place at Selebi Phikwe Stadium recently where some employees were retiring after over 40 and 20 years of service to the mine.

“I acknowledge the men and women who have spent virtually all their working lifetime serving BCL and the community of Selebi Phikwe by extension,” he said.

He also highlighted that BCL paved the way for economic diversification in the region by coming up with a corporate strategy that pioneered the setting up of Pula Steel which aimed at curbing the unemployment rate and to extend the BCL lifespan.

He urged retirees to put to good use the experience and knowledge they have acquired while working at the mine. 

He suggested they could start up companies and create employment as communities need help to address issues of poverty eradication. He said the projects could also help in the diversification of the regional economy.

“People retiring from mining environment have huge technical skills and knowledge that society needs,” he said.

He commended the BCL management for having managed to carry the tradition of holding the retirees and long service awards even though the organisation was faced with financial challenges.

For his part the managing director of BCL, Mr Daniel Mahupela said the growth and success of BCL would not be possible without the hard work of men and women who shaped BCL into the growing organisation it was today.

He said through their effort BCL Mine has grown and diversified its operations to increase its asset base through the completion of a steel processing plant, Pula Steel as part of its Polaris II strategy.

He also said the project of refurbishing the smelter was complete, and that BCL would be able to work towards their production targets in terms of metal tonnes against plummeting nickel prices.

Giving a vote of thanks on behalf of the retirees, Mr Shirley Kgosiitsile said he started working for BCL in 1981. He said it was a rocky road then, and that he saw a lot of developments taking place in Selebi Phikwe as the mine was growing. He said he was happy he was leaving a legacy behind for young miners.

He asked fellow retirees to invest in their pension and use the skills they gained from BCL to help communities they live in.

In the meantime,103 employees completed 20 years of continuous service while the 94 who were due to retire at the end of this year and nine others retired after 40 years of service. Ends