17 Jan 2017

Precious stones are nice pieces of adoration. They are good looking to say the least. Their bright shiny colours qualify them to be worthy items to have. But alas! that is not all, they also have outstanding medical qualities.

Masa Semi-Precious Stones (Pty) Ltd is a wholly citizen owned Botswana company formed in 1982 and based in Bobonong with about 10 employees deals with these precious items.

Director of the company, Mr Rapelang Nkgowe said in an interview that his company sells all kinds of semi-precious stones such as Agate Nodules, Aquamarine, Amethyst, Azurite and Botswana Pink, Carnelian, Chalcedony, Crystal Quartz, Garnet, Jade, Jasper, Malachite, Moss Agate, Opal, Rose Quartz, Soda lite, Tanzanite, Tiger’s Eye and Tourmaline.

He said the semi-precious stones had special healing powers and influence in one’s life.

Mr Nkgowe said Agate was good for giving somebody strong personality and doing away with the element of infidelity in life.

He said Amethyst wasgood for earning one respect and friendship and it also helps cure liver and stomach ailments.

“Botswana pink boosts energy and it helps and cures snakebites,” he said.

He said carnelian was good for stimulating the family bond and generally protecting against infection.

“Jasper improves the sense of smell and is also good for the kidneys while Moss improves someone's personality and prevents nerve pains,” he continued.
Mr Nkgowe said the rock crystal improves balance and was good for the heart.

He said semi-precious stones were cut and polished to make necklaces, earrings, buttons, key holders or tie clips.Mr Nkgowe said his company had won a number of local excellence and international awards in international business seminars, which reflects how it had been flying the country flag high in the world business community.He noted that Masa had received the Arch of Europe Gold Star Award competing against European  companies.

“I have attended various quality summits among them the Quality Summit in New York leading to the Diamond Award for Excellence and Business Prestige,” he said.
 

His company, he said was also awarded an award of Business Initiative Directions of International Star Award in a business seminar which was held at Geneva, Switzerland in 2001.
 

“The following year my company was given a Quality Summit Award in New York in 2002,” he added.

Mr Nkgowe said he was invited to another business seminar in Berlin, Germany in 2012.

“This seminar was organised by Association of Other Ways Management and consulting which was led by Charbel Tabet,” he explained.

Mr Nkgowe further said at that seminar, he was awarded four awards being, New  Era  Award  for  Quality  Technology  and  Innovation, Total  Quality  Management (TQM), Aptitude  Seal  for  High Quality  Performance and Best  Customer  Satisfaction.

“The main objective of that seminar was to give international companies a platform to share ideas with growing companies on how to run their businesses,” he said.

Mr Nkgowe sells his products at countries like America, Britain and Hong Kong and India, adding that he was honoured to see his company in seminars with international companies like BRAUN.

He stated that BRAUN was an internationally recognised health company, which originates in Germany and that hasd been doing business for more than 160 years.

Nkgowe said one of the companies that he shared seminars with is Novoi Mining and Metallurgy which originates in Uzbekistan.

Mr Nkgowe said he had been invited to another business seminar in Rome, Italy  this year where a Global Award Perfection for Quality and Ideal Performance award would be awarded .

He said he always attends international business seminars if invited since he is also  benchmarking on how some companies were managing their businesses and and also to market his products.

Mr Nkgowe said Masa was a member of Business Botswana and Botswana’s Exporters & Manufacturer Association. BOPA