30 Mar 2020

LUCARA Botswana general manager, Mr Johane Mchive has stated that the mine has stockpiled resources required to allow the mine to operate amid COVID-19.

Addressing a heads of department meeting addressed by the Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe at Letlhakane village on March 27, Mr Mchive stated that the mine had stockpiled parts and spares that would enable the plant to run for three months, fuel inclusive.

He said blasting equipment was the only equipment they could run short of in the instance that the borders were closed.

He however, assured that they had ore stockpiles to work with to recover diamonds, should they run out of blasting equipment.

Mr Mchive stated that management had devised special leaves and that those who would be quarantined would not have their leave days deducted.

Further, he said the mine had travel restrictions and a register for those travelling.

He said action would be taken against those travelling without notifying management.

Mr Mchive indicated that they had placed sanitising dispensers at different areas within the mine.

He said orders were made to address shortage and some would be distributed among the community in Boteti.

Another intervention he said the mine had increased buses equipped with sanitisers to ferry staff with trips staggered and the number of employees per bus reduced.

For his part, Orapa Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines (OLDM) general manager, Mr Bakani Motlhabani said should the country go on lockdown, a minimum crew would remain for care and maintenance of the plant.

Mr Motlhabani said the mine had suspended alcohol breathalysers and the use of biometrics. He said they had availed screening facilities at all mine entries being east, west gates, airport and the hospital.

He said sanitisers were availed at all areas including mine entrances, office blocks, buses and trucks and added that the buses were cleaned regularly and the number of people per trip reduced.

Mr Motlhabani stated that they had an isolation ward with eight beds and an overflow guest house with five beds for isolation.

The Orapa mine flight he said had been suspended to restrict travelling and was strictly for shipping products and medical emergencies.

Mr Motlhabani said OLDM had introduced flexi- working arrangement to reduce contact and had 400 people working from home.

“We have what is called market slow-down response while at the same time reducing people in response to COVID-19,” he said.

Mr Motlhabani said they had introduced COVID-19 sms notifications and email to all the employees regularly while Dr Baagi Motshereganyi of Orapa

Mine Hospital said they had scenarios in place on how they respond to COVID-19.

Health practitioners he said had rationalised services to avoid overcrowding at the hospital.

He stated that with regard to testing, they would be sending samples to private laboratories like Diagnofirm.

Mr Lelatisitswe said the national laboratory should be the only one handling testing so that reporting was consistent.  ENDS