15 Sep 2024

Kgwakgwe will soon gain popularity among villages in Botswana with the anticipated opening of a manganese mine in the area.

As with all mining towns in the country, residents of the village and nearby settlements expect to benefit from employment opportunities and the provision of amenities such as water, electricity, health, education as well as roads and communication infrastructure. 

Briefing residents on the plan to open the mine recently, the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Giyani Metals, Mr Danny Keating said his company had received the environmental impact assessment report for the mine, which is situated along the Kanye basin, not far from the Bangwaketse headquarters.

Giyani Metals is a Canadian battery metals company, and has a 100 per cent citizen-owned subsidiary in Botswana.

The company’s strategy, Mr Keating said, was to become a low-carbon footprint producer of high-quality electrolytic manganese.

He added that it would be used to make batteries for electric vehicle, which project he said would generate employment opportunities and business for service providers as well as boost economic development within the community. He noted that Giyani Metals had already secured land rights and was working with relevant officials to obtain the mining license.

Mr Keating also said there would be downstream activities that would employ and benefit residents. 

He added that the beneficiation process would add further value to the commodity (manganese) and provide additional employment opportunities and the development of value chains.Kgwakgwe residents welcomed the development and expressed their optimism of being employed in the not so far a future.

For his part, Nyorosi East ward headman, Kgosi Obusitse Kame said the opening of the mine would benefit his community through direct and indirect employment as well as the new business opportunities that would be created. 

He added that amenities and services would also be improved, thanks to the envisaged mine.

He also appreciated that the mine would also improve the welfare of his community through improved service provision in respect to transportation, electricity, water, sanitation, education and health.

Nyorosi ward residents are also elated at the prospects of having a mine operating among them. One such resident is Ms Ompelege Leselamotlhaka, a member of the police cluster, who also expressed delight at the envisaged developments. She said the mine would create employment for professionals, artisans as well as both skilled and unskilled members of the public, adding that odd jobs such as cleaning and gate keeping did not require qualifications, therefore many a locals should benefit from such.

Ms Leselamotse, who noted that youth unemployment was a huge challenge in her village and the country at large, said the developments would curb drug abuse and crime in the village as some of those who had been wandering aimlessly would now be employed and have a purpose in life. 

The umbrella Village Development Committee chairperson, Ms Gaontebale Lenong said Giyani Metals management had held consultations with them on several occasions and had assured the village leadership that locals would be given first priority when hiring and that the company officials would also rent accommodation within the village. 

She added that some residents, especially women, would get the opportunity to work throughout the year, though on a temporary basis. 

Besides being used in batteries, Manganese is added to other metals such as steel to harden them. Such steel is usually used for rail bars, prison bars, riffle barrels and safes, according to Internet findings. Ends