22 Jul 2019

The Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane has commended Debswana for displaying commitment to align its policies and practices, to not only stay competitive in the industry, but also simultaneously progress the economic and social circumstances in Botswana.

Mr Tsogwane was speaking  during Debswana 50th anniversary celebrations in Orapa.

He noted that in 2001, Debswana became the first mining company in the world to offer free Anti-retroviral Therapy to HIV positive employees, indicating that when government introduced the HIV/AIDS MASA programme, the company came on board to manage it and facilitated provision of services to the general public.

Debswana, he said had also supported education in the region over the years through capacity building, financial support and development of infrastructure.

He observed that since 1978, Orapa Technical College had provided quality technical training for artisans who had been invaluable to, not only Debswana, but other mining companies as well.

Mr Tsogwane further indicated that Debswana Government Schools Development Programme, introduced in the early 2000s, continued to assist in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in schools around the mine.

OLDM, he said had been a key driver of development in the Boteti Sub-district, notable in the areas of health and education, adding that the role of Orapa hospital in enabling access to improved health care for communities in its sphere of influence was to be applauded.

He said since the discovery of diamonds, and its birth, Debswana had grown to become one of the world’s leading producers of gem diamonds, contributing about 30 per cent of the world’s output by value from its four mines.

Mr Tsogwane said Debswana’s diamond mining activity had helped bring about remarkable growth, transforming Botswana from being one of the poorest countries in Africa to one of its iconic economic success stories.

He noted that a number of comparative studies had revealed that many countries, which were highly dependent on revenues from natural resources, such as diamonds and other minerals, performed relatively lower in terms of their human development and governance, whilst also being at greater risk of succumbing to internal conflicts which led to stagnation and instability.

Botswana, he said had however subscribed to the ideals of ‘Diamonds for Development’ campaign, which witnessed tremendous economic and social growth.

He indicated that between 1966 and 2008, the country’s GDP grew by more than nine per cent on average, on an annual basis, moving the country from least developed to middle income status. 

Mr Tsogwane said government would work tirelessly towards diversifying the economy and relieving the over reliance on natural resources.He said the government was pleased that the evolving vision encapsulated in Orapa Today, Boteti Tomorrow (OTBT) programme, would go a long way in ensuring that Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines left a legacy beyond diamond mining.

He noted that it would assist Boteti sub-district to build a sustainable alternative economy.

He cited initiatives such as the expansion of Orapa Game Park aimed at promoting bio-diversity and the opening of Adrian Gale Diamond museum, which had introduced a place that captured and showcased the history of the diamond story.

Both initiatives, he said were positive contributors to the region’s eco-tourism offerings and good indicators that there was a future in developing effective models of sustainable community benefit frameworks.

OLDM General Manager Mr Bakani Motlhabani said they would continue to adopt creative and appropriate technologies that would contribute to a safer environment and more efficient assets.

The equipment used in diamond recovery in the 90’s he said was archaic and not very efficient, stating that old x-ray machines were replaced with energy-efficient channel displacement x-ray machines that led to greater accuracy in recovery.

Mr Motlhabani said it was through such efficiencies that their ways of work contributed to the recovery of the 41.11 carat blue diamond at Plant no.2  this year.

Orapa in its history he said had never produced such a stone, the Okavango Blue, which had them beaming with pride.

Debswana board member, Mr Neo said Moroka said the event was an opportunity to consider how their company could continue to play a pivotal role as a key enabler in the common journey towards realising the goals of long term 2036 vision.

One of the employees, Mr Moipoledi Leso who joined the company  as a gardener 1977, currently works as a maintainer operator at the laboratory.

 He hailed the company saying it moulded him in to a responsible citizen. ENDS