Jwaneng Mine spends P200m on workers� camp upgrade
Lebogang Baingapi | Tuesday November 29, 2016 16:19
Briefing the councillors during a council meeting in Jwaneng on Wednesday, the project manager Ignatius Maunge said they intend to upgrade from the current single storey to double storey, which will accommodate 709 beds on top of the current 1,435.
He said Jwaneng Mine considers safety a priority and therefore they would like to eliminate the current situation of sharing inside the camp. He said research has shown that the current accommodation impacts negatively on productivity at the work place. Maunge was hopeful that with the support of the local authority, they would be able to facilitate and execute future projects that aim at sustaining production at the mine. With the help of Jwaneng Town Council, the Mine managed to purchase the current plot and change it from industrial to a multi-family residential area.
The camp currently accommodates 2,145 employees on sharing basis and the upgrade comes as a solution to promote personal privacy and a sustainable healthy environment. The kitchen and the dinning hall will also be improved to suit both the management, senior and junior staff that lives inside the camp.
Specially elected councillor Olga Ditsie’s fear was that, if Jwaneng Mine continues to invest millions in development, what will the property be used for after the closure of the mine. She said the mine could consider using corporations such as Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) whose mandate is clearly and solely to provide accommodation.
While Seole ward councillor Obed Monkge’s concern is the restricted entrance at the camp, he was grateful for the move to upgrade the camp to a more permanent structure. He said the mine employees deserve a more dignified accommodation that matches their status. Monkge further said there should be free entrance to the camp to allow families to visit each other especially married couples.
The corporate affairs manager Montlenyane Baaitse assured the house that Jwaneng Mine was committed to providing suitable accommodation that will not lower production but rather leave the employees fresh and ready to face each day with a sober mind.