14 Jun 2016

Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources (MMEWR) plans to table the Mines and Minerals Bill during November sitting of Parliament.

This emerged during a one-day Minerals Pitso held at Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) which brought together stakeholders in the mining industry from both government and the private sector on Monday.

The Bill seeks to amend the current Mines and Minerals Act which was last reviewed and amended in 1999.  

Addressing the gathering, Minister Kitso Mokaila stated that by reviewing the current Act government was looking to develop a piece of legislation that would facilitate growth in the mineral industry. 

He said among the key issues the new bill would increase participation of Batswana businesses in the mineral industry.                                  

Government aims to see Batswana owned companies growing and playing a bigger role in the industry, Mr Mokaila said.  

According to an official from Minerals Affairs Division, Mr Gofaone Molefhe, the review of the current Act was done in order to develop a legislation that would be more relevant to the emerging industry developments, align it with the minerals policy and enhance competitiveness and investment attraction within the industry.                                                                                

Mr Molefhe said the Bill would among others look at creating an enabling environment for the development of Coal Bed Methane Industry (CMB), exploration and extraction methods of CBM, and utilisation of CBM for power production.

Furthermore, he said the Bill would address the issue of illegal river sand mining by proposing stiffer restrictions and steep penalties for offenders.  “There is a need to protect the environment and through the policy we have provided for provision of alternative sand,” Mr Molefhe said.

Regarding the issue of citizen empowerment, Mr Molefhe said the Bill would propose the reservation of industrial mineral to citizens owned or majority owned businesses, and procurement of local services and raw materials.

He also said the Bill would address methods of license issuance to make them more competitive.

Mr Molefhe said the members of the industry and the public would be engaged over the draft Bill between July and August. ENDS