29 Oct 2026

Botswana has been urged to leverage its mining sector, transport infrastructure and strategic location to attract manufacturing investment, create jobs and deepen local participation in regional supply chains.

Speaking at the Botswana Mining Show at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) on Tuesday, the Assistant Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Letlhogonolo Barongwang said the country must move beyond mineral extraction by developing efficient transport corridors and expanding industrial production.

Mr Barongwang said mining had contributed significantly to national prosperity and macroeconomic stability, but the next phase of development should focus on using mineral wealth to diversify the economy.

“As we look towards Vision 2036 and implementation of National Development Plan 12, our paradigm must evolve,” he said.

He said transport infrastructure should connect mining and production areas to markets, local suppliers and communities to ensure that the benefits extended beyond the mines.

“The corridor that bypasses our people is a failed corridor,” he said, adding that such projects should create jobs, build skills and support sustainable enterprises for Batswana.

Mr Barongwang highlighted three proposed railway corridors aimed at diversifying export routes and strengthening regional connectivity: the Trans-Kalahari railway line, the Mmamabula–Lephalale line and the Mosetse–Kazungula–Livingstone link.

He said the Trans-Kalahari project had been revised to transport copper and other minerals alongside coal. 

The assistant mininster said a bankable feasibility study had been completed and potential contractors shortlisted, while government was finalising a public-private partnership concession model and financing arrangements.

He said government was also rehabilitating existing railway infrastructure, improving freight capacity and developing feeder roads connecting rural mining and agricultural areas to major transport corridors.

Improved connectivity, he said, could lower logistics costs, support cross-border trade and help local businesses compete in regional markets.

Mr Barongwang also identified electric mobility as an emerging opportunity, saying Botswana could harness its solar potential to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and support cleaner transport.

Meanwhile, Rand York Castings Chief Executive Officer, Mr Justin Corbett said shifting global trade patterns presented Botswana with an opportunity to attract manufacturers seeking to produce closer to their markets.

His company manufactures steel products for the mining, civil engineering and industrial sectors.

He said rising freight costs, tariffs and uncertainty since the COVID-19 pandemic were undermining the model of producing goods in a few centralised locations and shipping them worldwide.

“The question is, where are the region’s plants going to go? That’s what we’ve got to embrace here in Botswana,” he said.

Mr Corbett said Botswana could attract manufacturers through its political and economic stability, strategic location and proximity to South Africa’s established industrial base.

He argued that South African manufacturers had the engineering expertise and capacity to complement Botswana’s mining industry, particularly in the production of equipment, pipes, structural steel, couplings and replacement parts.

Such partnerships, he said, could shift more production to Botswana instead of relying on imports.

He also identified opportunities for collaboration with Chinese and Indian investors, who could bring manufacturing technology, equipment and expertise.

However, he stressed that investment decisions should be driven by actual market demand rather than tax incentives alone.

To attract and retain investors, Mr Corbett called for faster border clearance, serviced industrial land, streamlined investor support and more efficient administrative processes. 

Manufacturers, he said, needed predictable procedures and efficient logistics to move equipment and products across borders without delays.

The Botswana Mining Show is being held under the theme “Exploring New Frontiers: Unlocking Botswana’s Next Generation of Mineral Opportunities” and runs from October 27 to 29. ENDS