17 Oct 2016

Government recently took a decision to place the BCL Mine under provisional liquidation. Even in the face of this, there are some business people who remain optimistic that the economy of the region would turn the corner.
Mr Muhammed Ashraf of Dumela Garments said in an interview that though the town and livelihoods relied largely on the BCL mine, the business community should not press panic button to relocate and lay off staff while efforts were being made by government to rescue the situation.Mr Muhammed said the cessation of operation at the mine concerns everyone and government was equally concerned about the performance of the mine.
He said government has the interest of its citizens at heart and the Selebi Phikwe crisis requires cool heads to solve.
Mr Muhammed has appealed to his fellow business people to wait for the conclusion of the liquidation process and look for other opportunities as leaving the town would further exacerbate the already fragile situation.
Another businessman and former senior civil servant Mr Itireleng Phatshwane said for for the past 20 years government has been bailing out BCL financially.
If business do not do well you close shop and  there was nothing wrong  with government in closing the mine, he said.
The decision to liquidate is very much appropriate and it is now up to the private sector to take over, he added.
He said as a possible solution to what he described as a national calamity, “government should by all means invite private sector to revive the mine”.
Mr Phatshwane said there was still potential to mining in the town because people were never told that copper and nickel were depleted in the area and other miners not BCL can operate successfully.
As a way of swiftly reviving the town, Mr Phatshwane said government should offer tax holiday to whichever investor that operates in the town.
Mr Phatshwane warned that the BCL issue must not be politicised.
He said SPEDU to him is a government agency and might have hiccups in luring investors but should strive to develop the local investors and called for an audacious effort to lure investors into the town.
The closure, he admitted, would have negative impacts on the economy as BCL generated revenue in  the form of tax, paying utilities such as high voltage power provided by BPC, telecommunications and water would be affected.
He was concerned that education sector might suffer a great deal in both private and government schools where enrolment has gone down.
The informal sector will be affected, housing, banks might relocate to other areas where there is potential.
Mmadinare resident Mr Slyvester Masweu said though the mine closure would have negative consequences natural resources were non renewable and other sources of income and employment should  be suggested.
Mr Masweu said a lot of counseling has to be done in the area to soothe people’s emotions.
Mr Masweu who is a councilor for Mmadinare/Robelela said government has never neglected BCL.
Liquidation he said was the only option taken by government and through the SPEDU the town would be revived and people should  be patient because development is a process. ENDS