10 Dec 2019

Selebi Phikwe West legislator, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse has suggested some options that can help resuscitate Selebi Phikwe town following the closure of the BCL mine.

In his contribution to the State-Of-Nation Address on December 9, he said government should consider relocating the Department of Mining and Geological Engineering as well as the College of Engineering and Technology at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) from Palapye to Selebi-Phikwe for purposes of establishing BIUST Phikwe Campus.

“Universities locally, regionally and internationally have multiple campuses and BIUST should emulate this practice,” he stated.

Mr Keorapetse also said there was a need to set up a Coal Liquefaction Plant in Selebi-Phikwe for job creation and to expedite the review of the Environmental Impact Assessment laws and regulations to ease doing business especially in Special Economic Zones such as SPEDU.

“For the economy of Selibe  Phikwe to be up, it is important to explore the economic viability of Pula Steel, review the mandate of SPEDU and to take bold steps such as to relocate some ministries or big departments to Phikwe,” he said.

He also suggested that the Sir Seretse Khama Barracks be decongested in a manner that would result in some military combat service support units relocating to the Eastern Military Garrison in Selibe Phikwe. 

He said this was because of the town’s proximity to the northern sector which was the hub of anti-poaching operations for logistical support to be nearer to end-users.

He also reiterated the need for reopening of BCL mine saying it was the only hope to life for the residents.

He said it was important for government to consider re-opening the mine since the nickel was now selling at around US$10 per/pound and that other base metal prices had risen significantly. 

“Our beautiful town is becoming increasingly uninhabited and gives an impression of bleak emptiness since the closure of the BCL mine on the 7th October 2016, a date which will live in infamy,” he said.

He argued that Selibe Phikwe dwellers were thrown into sudden destitution because they abruptly lost their jobs, hence poverty, unemployment, underemployment and lack of access to opportunities became prominent features of the town economy.

Mr Keorapetse stated many residents had been imprisoned for failure to pay debts since BCL closed, adding that banks and other creditors were still threatening many ex-BCL employees with civil imprisonment. 

He further stated that Phikwe was faced many problems among them broken families, deteriorated health due to depression and anxiety caused by loss of income. 

On other issues, he said the gesture of naming of public roads, stadia, airports and other important places around the country after luminaries and outstanding patriots by government should be extended to many other leaders such as Dr Michael Dingake, Dr Gaositwe Chiepe, Mr David Magang, late founding commander of BDF Lt Gen Mompati Merafhe, Dr Kenneth Koma and Justices Moleleki Mokama and Julian Nganunu.

Meanwhile MP for Thamaga-Kumakwane, Mr Palelo Motaosane called on government to consider a special dispensation for the Kweneng District through the establishment of Thamaga District Authority.

He said Thamaga and Mogoditshane were choked by a high population that was serviced at Mogoditshane Sub-district.

Mr Motaosane argued that Mogoditshane, Thamaga and Molepolole were highly populated and as such Thamaga and Mogoditshane deserved to be fully-fledged sub-districts, owing to a high number of villages in the catchment areas and greater Gaborone residents who commuted to and from the villages.

He also said the government should prioritise the re-sealing of Molepolole-Thamaga road, that he said was in a bad state.

He also called for the establishment of a vocational school at Thamaga to cater for youth who were idling.

 He argued that the Construction Industry Trust Fund (CITF) at Thamaga was not enough because the institution did not offer advanced courses in Diploma.

Mr Motaosane commended government for the creation of rehabilitation centres to deal with challenges of alcohol and other substance abuse. 

He said social protection nets were not well administered by Social and Community Development Officers in the districts and appealed to government to improve implementation of such well-intended services.

With regards to education, he noted that parents needed to play a role in their children’ education but argued that the student-teacher ratio contributed to poor results.

Mr Motaosane commended President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’ spirit of consultation with opposition parties, the media, labour movements and Batswana in general.

He also commended government for water provision at Thamaga, which he said had been a challenge for years. 

ends