15 Sep 2019

The Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Karabo Gare, has hailed Jwaneng Mine for its commitment to uplifting communities around the mine’s environs. 

Mr Gare, who was officially handing over a classroom block at Pitseng Primary School on Friday, said the project would help alleviate the long-standing classroom shortage at the school. 

“This project also gives us an opportunity to continue providing a conducive learning environment for our learners. By increasing the number of classroom space, we are already stepping ahead towards achieving access to a conducive learning environment for all,” he said. 

Mr Gare said because education was one of the crucial sectors towards the country’s development, it was vital that stakeholders consolidated their efforts in creating boundaries that would meet the current modern world dynamics and mould human resources that would better address emerging challenges. 

He, therefore, made a plea to the private sector and other stakeholders to partner with government in uplifting the education sector by all means necessary. 

He said since Jwaneng Mine got involved in the education sector in the area through various activities such as academic awards sponsorships, the pass rate improved. 

Mr Gare also said the mine’s decision to engage residents of Pitseng in the construction of the project was a good way of empowering residents as well as a good model of implementing corporate social responsibility. 

He also appreciated the mine for its effort in the general upliftment of the people in its zone of influence, saying over the years, Jwaneng Mine had assisted the surrounding communities in many ways such as health services and water provision. 

The mine’s assistant general manager, Mr Mogakolodi Maoketsa, indicated that they always strived to ensure that their corporate social investment (CSI) projects were those that directly impacted on the lives of beneficiaries. 

He said they achieved such through focal areas such as empowering women, girls and people with disability, sustainable communities as well as conservation and bio-diversity; an aspect which he stated demonstrated their commitment over the years. 

Mr Maoketsa also indicated that through the government’s support, they were confident that diamonds dreams would be turned into a long-lasting legacy. Mr Maoketsa also said their CSI programme was aligned to the national and international standards so as to face the global challenges. 

He said in that light, the Pitseng classroom block project was done in line with the international standard of sustainable development goal of quality education. 

Mr Maoketsa indicated that the mine was working on the completion of four classrooms at Sese while this year, they handed an upgraded clinic in Tsonyane. 

For his part, Kgosi Mmolotsinyana Mafhoko of Pitseng hailed Jwaneng Mine for its compassion over the communities. He said this was even sweeter as the compassion was done without any discrimination. 

He said by so doing, the mine was living its and government’s word that Botswana diamonds were for development unlike in other countries where they fueled conflicts. 

He, therefore, encouraged the mining giant to keep up its good deed as it was also in line with the government’s objectives of people development. 

ends