12 Oct 2020

Selebi Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU) is currently facilitating high impact projects in manufacturing and agribusiness with the potential to create 2 625 jobs.

SPEDU director for Strategic Projects, Mr Jazenga Uezesa informed the Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi that the high return projects included pharmaceutical plant trading under the name Pula Dynes, which would produce pharmaceuticals such as ARVs and Paracetamol tablets.

He also talked about the Oxgen gas project, which will produce 10 651 tonnes of oxygen, 3 504 tonnes of nitrogen and 876 tonnes if nitrous oxide per annum.

Mr Uezesa said the high impact projects were intended to boost the SPEDU region, which covers five constituencies being Selebi Phikwe East Selebi Phikwe West, Mmadinare, Bobonong and Lerala/Maunatlala.

The meeting was also attended by MP for Selebi Phikwe East, Mr Kgoberego Nkawana, MP for Lerala/Maunatlala, Mr Setlhabelo  Modukanele, and MP for Bobonong, Mr Taolo Lucas.

Mr Uezesa said the pharmaceutical plant project was estimated to create about 600 jobs during construction and 300 permanent jobs when fully operational.

He said the project, which was estimated to cost P260m, would pick up the momentum once travel restrictions were lifted since the partners were outside the country.

The P67 million Oxgen gas project investment has the potential to create 205 jobs, and he added that the project was finalising implementation plan with the funders while ground breaking is expected this year. 

The foreign owned Citrus fruit project plantation is also expected to be established in Selebi Phikwe.

The P500 million investment is anticipated to create 1 700 jobs. 

He said the project, which is expected to commence this month, would be provided with water from Letsibogo Dam. Mr Uezesa also shared about Kemcore, which is a Sodium-bisulphite manufacturing plant.

“This is a joint venture that proposes to establish a sodium metabisulphite manufacturing plant,” he said. 

The P37m investment has the potential to create 60 jobs.

Elolam Manufacturing, a foreign owned company involved in the manufacturing of electrical and power energy products for local and international markets is expected to create 60 jobs.

The project was expected to take off in April, but will resume once travel restrictions have been uplifted.

In addition to facilitating high return projects, SPEDU is currently implementing the land servicing project in collaboration with Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Water Utilities Corporation, Botswana Power Corporation, BoFiNet, Ministry of Agriculture Development and Food Security as well as Selebi Phikwe Town Council.

He said the project aimed to provide an enabling environment for the businesses to start and an attractive marketing tool for investors to invest in the SPEDU region.

He said implementation of the project had the potential to deliver 28 companies already awaiting completion of th project.

He said a total of 1 929 hectares would be serviced 84ha of which would be for industrial plots, 1 300 urban agriculture, 480ha tourism and 65ha civic and community. ENDS