30 Nov 2016

The Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Advocate Sadique Kebonang says the government has budgeted P700 million to pay terminal benefits to all employees that have lost their jobs at BCL and Tati Nickel Mining Company (TNMC).

Addressing Francistown City councillors on Tuesday, he said the benefits would be paid starting this month and pleaded for patience from those affected. Advocate Kebonang further said the government would pay for the employees’ children’s school fees until the end of December next year.

He said they were not looking at children’s welfare only, but also at the physo-social welfare of their parents. He added that it was also agreed that during the liquidation process, employees would be given three months notice to vacate mine houses.

Furthermore, he said the liquidation of the mine does not mean that the mine was closed down as people think, but rather that they were currently investigating for a solution on whether it was worth keeping the mine running or to close down. He added that the question would be answered in February 2017 through the liquidator’s report.

Advocate Kebonang said the matter would take time before it was resolved as a lot of stakeholders were involved.

He pleaded with the ex-workers not to despair, but to work hard and take advantage of government programmes and use them to their benefit.

In addition, he said the decision to liquidate the mines was not an overnight decision, but a process that was not yet finalised.  Advocate Kebonang was answering concerns raised by councillors on the liquidation of BCL and TNMC.

Boikhutso ward councillor, Mr Themba Mbambo had wanted to know if the workers would be paid their terminal benefits, and requested the minister to elaborate on the issues of payment of school fees for the ex workers’ children. ENDS