21 Sep 2016

The general manager of Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa mines, Mr Alan Breen has commended long service awardees for having played a significant role in the growth of the country.

Mr Breen said the 99 workers who received the certificates translated to 2 500 years of experience at Debswana. The mine held the ceremony to honour workers who have worked for 20-40 years.

He said as elder statepersons they had a role to play in society, adding that they could provide guidance, mentoring and coaching.

“The country needs us more than it ever needed us in the past 50 years, the economy is not very strong at the moment and unemployment is a challenge,” he said.

Mr Breen said the high rate of unemployment in the country was disturbing, and that as a company they had a part to play, saying markets were tough and that because of that toughness they had to restrict productions.

He added that they still produce good margins and good distributions for the government and De Beers, noting that those distributions remained valued to the nation.

He highlighted that it was essential that they continue to produce at the lowest cost as they could ensure that safety was adhered to.

As leaders, he said, it was critical that they take the responsibility by educating people, helping and providing guidance.

Mr Breen further said Debswana values safety, adding that most of the accidents they had did not involve people who had worked for more than 20 years, saying it  meant thay had a lot of experience.

He said every long service award recipient was indebted to the company, saying their company was also indebted to them for the service and dedication.

The country, he said, was also indebted to them, saying they should be indebted to the country as well.

A representative of the 20-40 years award recipients, Mr Eddie Mosarwe, who is also the mining manager, said although Debswana had different leadership, their leaders made the company a great place to work for.

Mr Mosarwe joined the then De Beers Mining Company in 1991 as an apprentice fitter trainee and qualified in 1995 as an artisan fitter. He moved through the ranks until he became mining manager.

He said he progressed well and had all the support and care needed, which saw him from learner official, mining engineer, senior mining engineer and now mining manager.

Senior ore processing manager at OLDM, Mr Disang Mongatane said the recipients’ contributions individually and collectively over many years had made the company what it was, and has enabled the success story of the socio-economic development of Botswana over the years.

Mr Mongatane noted that 20-40 years long service awards included eight employees, who had given 20 years of service to Debswana, 46 employees in the 25 years category, 23 in 30 years of service, 19 in 35 years of service and three in 40 years of continuous and uninterrupted service in employment to Debswana. Ends