14 Nov 2021

Preparations are ongoing to resuscitate Lobatse Clay Works which halted operations three years ago.

This was said by deputy mayor of Lobatse, Ms Tiny Dinoko during a series of Kgotla meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

The meetings were addressed by the town’s mayor Mr Essop Pandor together with his entourage at Peleng, Woodhall and Motswedi/ Thema customary courts to give residents feedback about service delivery and developments in Lobatse.

Ms Dinoko told residents that physical works were on-going to prepare Lobatse Clay Works premises for re-opening to business activities.

“We know that clay works has been not operational. However, the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), which owns the company, together with Lobatse Town Council have found it important to re-open Lobatse Clay Works beginning of next year,” she said.

The company was established by BDC in 1992 to manufacture clay products such as bricks and pavers. However, it went through some challenges in the past decade until it halted operations. It was estimated at some point to have around 500 employees.

Ms Dinoko said the re-opening of clay works would signify commitment of political leadership of Lobatse Town Council and government to fulfil delivery of major development projects promised to residents of the town.

She said government was also working hard to deliver large scale projects to the town that had been awaited for a long time. She said the projects included the Lobatse Dairy project (Milk Afric) as well as the Lobatse Leather Park.

The Milk Afric, also owned by BDC, was supposed to have started operations in 2019 after completion of developments at the farm. However, the mayor Mr Pandor said commencement of operations was delayed by lack of dairy cows and some disagreements with a former partner in the project. Mr Pandor said the project would now kick off operations in March next year.

 

The two projects, Milk Afric and Leather Park, when operational, are expected to bring many employment opportunities to residents of Lobatse and surrounding areas.ENDS