19 Feb 2025

 Negotiations calling for the relocation of Manganese mine demo plant from South Africa to Botswana are said to be ongoing.

This was revealed by Member of Parliament for Kanye West Mr Victor Phologolo when addressing a kgotla meeting at Tsopye ward in Kanye recently.

Giving a highlight on the Kgwakgwe Manganese Mine, Mr Phologolo said the mine had started a demo plant, through which they were learning about the upcoming production operations to be undertaken at the Kgwakgwe Manganese mine.

“Unfortunately, the demo plant has been running from South Africa and the reasons given are not convincing hence a call for the relocation,” said Mr Phologolo, who further said it does not sound good looking at the fact that the raw materials are from Botswana.

However, he told residents of Tsopye ward that the mine would not establish a campsite for staff as a way of allowing residents of Kanye to offer accommodation to mine workers.

On other issues, residents of Kanye West were urged to highlight areas in which they would like the budget to prioritise on, amongst the many developments needed in their area as it was within their responsibility to do so as residents.

He noted that vocational education would be one of the educational system that would be highly considered by the new government.

Mr Phologolo said that there was need for education with production that would assure candidates of work upon completion.

He shared with the residents that the Budget Speech emphasised on the intention to use vocational institutes graduates on maintenance of public building structures, adding that the move would also empower the graduates.

He said in other countries, vocational school graduates had built companies and hired the most learned minds from universities to work for them.

“We had neglected vocational training, now we realise it can help to create employment for our youths,” he said adding that this would also help reduce reliance on foreign labour.

He therefore said there was need to encourage Batswana youths to enroll for vocational training.

Mr Phologolo decried the misuse of funds citing the ongoing Kanye Water and Sanitation project that was initially budgeted at about P700 million, but was now at over P3 billion due to cost over runs.

He noted that going forth the government assures constant assessment of projects throughout their implementation stages.

The MP updated residents on other developments such as the increment on the old age pension allowance and the introduction of the P300 allowance for newborn nursing mothers.

He said the money would be entitled to mothers whom the assessment would prove as having insufficient means to provide for their babies.

In their contributions, residents welcomed the idea of letting the Kanye community to accommodate Kgwakgwe mine employees once the project starts. They said the move would boost their hospitality businesses both small and medium.

On poverty alleviation, some residents suggested that government should consider allocating land to different villages that would be utilized by cooperatives for agriculture production.

The residents said this would also assist in employment creation as well as boosting food security. ENDS