04 Aug 2013

The Anglo American Head of Social Performance, Mr Jonathan Samuel says his organisation is committed to working with government to eradicate poverty and empower Botswana.

Mr Samuel, who was a guest speaker at the poverty eradication workshop at Damochujenna on August 1, said Anglo American had put in place two initiatives aimed at helping Batswana. 

The first initiative, dubbed Tokafala, was aimed at stimulating an entrepreneurial spirit in Botswana by providing advisory and mentoring services as well as financial support to deserving entrepreneurs. He noted that the initiative was also aimed at leveraging existing businesses through the Debswana and De beers supply chains.

Mr Samuel said overtime the Tokafala programme would also support SME in other strategic sectors such as tourism. The second initiative, called Bokamoso, was targeting the development of local talent by offering recently graduated Batswana professional and personal development opportunities across Anglo American’s global footprint.

Mr Samuel said through Bokamoso, the graduates would work in different roles and countries, gaining broad business experience in different cultures over two years.  “Upon completion, they will bring their knowledge and skills back to Botswana to help develop and diversify the economy,” he said.

On other issues, Mr Samuel said his organisation was grateful that the Ministry of Mineral Energy and Water Resources had entrusted it with the exploration of several coal tenements in the country and they were already hard at work to better understand the potential of these deposits.

He explained that mining was a long term business and Anglo American’s ability to transform Botswana’s natural resources into shared wealth was critical to sustainability of both Anglo American and De Beers, which Botswana was company to.

Mr Samuel said for generations, the government of Botswana, in partnership with De Beers, had helped to build the diamond industry and in the process, communities in many parts of Botswana have been transformed. “We are extremely proud to be associated with the enduring partnership between De Beers and the Botswana government, which stands as a shining example of Private Public Partnership that has stood the test of time,” he said.

 He noted that the transfer of De Beers’ sight holder sales to Gaborone at the end of 2013 and the establishment of several cutting and polishing centres was further testimony to shared vision his organisation, De Beers and the Botswana government had for further development and diversification of the country’s economy.

“Clearly our success as Anglo American and the success of Botswana are interdependent.  Anglo American, including De Beers, can optimally sustain long term growth in Botswana if this country’s aspirations are transformed to reality,” he said.

“We look forward to strong and meaningful dialogue of how Botswana mineral endowment can yield desired developmental dividends,” he said. He said his organisation’s desire was to see communities in every corner of Botswana benefit from the enduring strength of partnership between Anglo American and the Botswana government. 

Speaking at the same occasion, the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the government was committed to eradicating poverty among Batswana. He said it was evidenced by the government empowerment programmes availed to Batswana such as the poverty eradication programme.

Mr Masisi said under the programme, poverty eradication workshops were held to impart life skills and knowledge to Batswana living in poverty so that they could uplift and sustain their livelihoods. Mr Masisi said the workshops’ main aim was to empower beneficiaries, share ideas, knowledge and skills and formulate strategies to eradicate poverty among the needy. 

The other aim, he said, was to give hope for a better life to deserving 865 beneficiaries out of the 1 000 who were expected to benefit from the project. The beneficiaries from seven constituencies, which included Mmadinare, Bobirwa, Tswapong North, Tonota South, Palapye, Selebi Phikwe East and West were identified through an assessment process. 

He said the workshop was evidence to the rest of the world that the government of Botswana was committed to deliver on its promise to eradicate abject poverty.

 The workshop, which was graced by the Vice President and Member of Parliament for Mmadinare, Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe, ministers, Members of Parliament, members of the diplomatic corps and dikgosi ended on Saturday. ENDS