28 Jun 2020

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Mr Mmetla Masire has assured Batswana that there was enough petroleum to be used Batswana pending truck drivers’ COVID-19 results.

Speaking in a press conference  on Saturday in Gaborone, Mr Masire said the normal testing of truck drivers before they could pass through the border gates took longer than expected since there was shortage of testing kits on Friday.

He said Batswana should not panic and assured that the situation would go back to normal within a period of two days.

“On Friday some petrol stations managers told us that their petrol tanks were almost empty and that their petroleum have been ceased at the border gate. We did not say anything to the public because we wanted to avoid unnecessary panic,” he said.

He made note that usually the truck drivers’ testing for COVID-19 took a day or two, the more reason why they did not anticipate the chaotic alarm from the so-called secretary of Botswana Oils.

For lack of testing kits on Friday, some drivers resorted to parking their trucks in Lobatse and others at Fairgrounds in Gaborone to avoid interacting with the public before being tested.

“The petrol is available; here at home we are working hand in hand with Botswana Police Service to ensure that Batswana get petrol at the soonest date,” he said. 

Following the public notice made by Botswana Oil Saturday morning about the entity’s reserves being healthy, Mr Masire said Botswana Oil Limited (BOL), wholly owned by the government, represented by Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, was established to ensure the security and efficiency of fuel supply to Botswana and promote active citizen involvement in the petroleum industry.

He added that it was established to assist emerging companies in the petroleum sector to participate meaningfully in the industry and achieve fuel self-sufficiency and diversification of the economy.

He said the organisation also  assisted emerging companies in the petroleum sector to participate meaningfully in the industry.

Mr Masire said Botswana Oil’s reserves were now standing at 47 per cent or 24 million litres, possibly able to cover seven days during a crisis.

“Our main supplier South Africa recently had fuel problems, which caused us to use oil from our reserves. 

We are working on re-filling the empty tanks so that our reserves are ready for such situations as this one,” he said.

He said petrol from reserves could only  be used  when there was a crisis, saying with the current situation it was unnecessary to use the reserves because petrol was available and only got delayed by COVID-19 protocols.

He said that the country’s reserves, which were their strategic stock piles, could carry Batswana for up to 12 days in tough times.

“Namibia and Mozambique are also there to assist us in cases where there is shortage from South Africa. 

We asked Namibia to reserve a certain amount for us, which we will take when we are in dire need,” he said.

Mr Masire encouraged Batswana to take heed, use the fuel they already bought and relax as the situation would be back to normal soon. Ends