25 Aug 2019

 “Kgotla e e tletse e!” remarked President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi  as he started  addressing  residents at Botshabelo Kgotla.

Selibe Phikwe residents had descended in droves, which was no surprise to President Dr Masisi who conceded in his introductory discourse that he was alive to the fact that residents of the town had been itching to meet with him, especially as regards to BCL Mine.

In fact, President Dr Masisi laid it bare that he was fully aware that all that the people of Selibe Phikwe wanted to hear from his address was news about the reopening of BCL Mine and government’s efforts to create employment in the town.

Even after the arrival of the president, with all availed chairs fully occupied, residents of the copper mining town surged in deluges. The numbers spelt a sobering story of thirst to quench and hunger to feed from the president’s address.

Setting the tone was Kgosi John Seabe of Botshabelo who said the surging numbers of dwellers into his kgotla, braving a chilly morning, was a clear testament of the troubles devouring them from inside. So troubled they were that they wished to pour all out to the head of state with expectations that such problems would be solved.

Much to the applause of his subjects, Kgosi Seabe told the president and his entourage of how the town was characterised by unemployment. He said  in the 90s his people never struggled because firms, despite lower wages, afforded residents employment to care for their dependents.

He said post BCL closure some companies continued to downsize on number of workers whilst some were closing shop. Whilst still hit by unemployment, their state is exacerbated by earth tremors, Kgosi Seabe said.

As a partial address to the troubles, Kgosi Seabe called on government to consider building and luring tertiary institutions to Selibe Phikwe to help rescuscitate the town.

Following the closure of the mine, residents who depended on rent for survival have been hit with a massive blow, Kgosi Seabe said. On worst cases, tenants hardly pay rentals and would relate their touching stories to hapless landlords.

Residents also grabbed a chance to narrate their tribulations to President Dr Masisi. They were dying for some therapy that would put their miseries to rest forever and hence flooded the president and his entourage with emotional outpour of questions and complaints.
While painting a story of their lives to the president, some residents sounded optimistic especially with the mention of partial opening of the mine in future and hence appealed to government to help facilitate their elongated stay at the mine’s houses.
Some seemed desperate and wished to stay at the company houses for mere reasons that they had nowhere else to go. This is premised on arguments that the mine paid lower wages in comparative terms.

A member of Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU) Mr Rex Tambula stated that some of their members did not own houses because apart from lower wages, as fate would have it, there was no signal of the mine closing soon.

In illustrating how pangs of hunger haunts the ex-mine workers, Mr Tambula told the President of how the houses of the former employees of BCL are stuffed with nothing, but cockroaches. For purposes of relief from hunger, Mr Tambula pleaded that government provide the ex-miners with food basket.

The BMWU representative also begged government that injured former employees be put on care and maintenance salaries whilst awaiting terminal benefits which he said have been held up by a ‘devilish’ process called liquidation.

Mr Tambula’s assertion was backed by an ex-miner Mr Moses Moremi who reiterated the pains of the process. The youthful Mr Moremi alleged that post BCL Mine closure, many ex-miners were suffering ailments acquired from working at the mine because, they were examined and declared healthy before assuming their duties at the copper mine. Mr Moremi claimed that over 20 former employees had died as a consequence.

Other ex-miners said they were promised to be paid 18 months of their salaries when the mine was liquidated.

However, Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security Mr Eric Molale clarified that an undertaking to pay ex-miners 18 months of salary was never agreed on and was not in the ministry records. To this murmurs of discontent erupted.

Minister Molale continued clarifying that at initial stages such an idea was put before the table for discussion, but was shot down.

The minister told residents that it was possible to open BCL provided it was operated by a private investor, with all considerations taken into account.

Not only are the town dwellers dogged by unemployment, they are also haunted by earth tremors which the minister conceded to.

However, he appealed for calm saying that Geoscience Institute was on ground to determine the causes of the tremors and their possible consequences, report of which was expected end of August.

Minister Molale conceded that issues raised by BMWU representative Mr Tambula had been put to discussion on August 1 with a promise to revert to BMWU after meeting with president and the cabinet.

Notwithstanding that, the minister revealed that government had given some reprieve of 12 months for the children of former BCL employees who attended private schools. As a matter of fact, Mr Molale reminded ex-miners who complained about compensation that could help in their recovery that workman’s compensation was effected after an employee has fully recovered.

While conceding that government was aware of the challenges of the injured former employees the minister simultaneously reminded the complainants that it would not be in the best interest of the government to break the law.

In response to the ‘devilish liquidation’ process Minister Molale explained that upon realising that liquidation laws contradicted mines and quarries act the first liquidator elected to apply the liquidation laws following the impasse.

In his wrap President Masisi expressed that however painful it was, there was need to apply cool heads in finding lasting solutions to the BCL and Selibe Phikwe economy. The president, in therapeutic discourse revealed that plans were afoot to find an investor who could open parts of the mine where minerals have not been depleted.

President Dr Masisi said where possible government would partner with an investor and mine viable parts of the BCL and in the process create employment. He however, said all the government moves would be reliant on experts’ advice.

He also enumerated a number of government efforts to address challenges of Selibe Phikwe residents. Amongst the mentioned interventions was Selibe Phikwe Economic Revitalization Strategy.

As for some temporary measure the President said the idea of food basket would need to be assessed with considerations of possible consequences which may see some struggling  members of community calling for the same.ENDS