06 Nov 2023

The inclusion of women in the mining sector will improve the profitability of the sector, says Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng.

Speaking at the women in mining conference in Gaborone recently, Prof. Phakeng  urged women to focus on their goals and to ensure that no one stopped them from reaching the top.

She said there were equal opportunities and rights for both women and men, but the mining industry had traditionally been male dominated. She said time had come for women to dominate the sector because there was a growing demand for skilled labour in the industry that required women to help meet the demand.

Prof. Phakeng   said employment diversity would bring benefits such as team building and balance in the workplace, adding that women brought different perspectives to the table and new approaches as they had unique values. She added that. the increased presence of women in the mining industry and workplaces would bring diversity.

She said when she was employed at the University of Cape Town she set aside 20 per cent of her salary to start a scholarship fund for students.

She  said she had the urge to support the girl-child and that she climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to show that the girl-child could break barriers preventing them from opportunities to attend school and attaining high status in society.

Prof. Phakeng   advised women to further their education and to  avoid underutilising or undervaluing their academic skills.

She also called on women to reject the idea that they were vulnerable, adding that they should break patriarchal societal beliefs.

 “Do away with the notion that only men are capable of working in mining,” she said.

She said African household patriarchy believed that indoor chores were for girls and that boys were for the outdoors.

For her part, Debswana's executive head of human resources, Ms Matlhogonolo Mponang said Botswana had 23 per cent of women across the mining industry.

She also said there should be more women in the mining industry and heading male dominated industries, adding that more females should be recruited in the mining industry to invest in their successes.

She said the conference was a capacity building initiative and that it focused on women who drove mining on the ground, its operations and other technical staff. She added that the conference also aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion as well as offering women the opportunity to gain leadership skills to help them advance professionally and personally.

Ends