Fewer mine accidents recorded in 2009

MBONGENI MGUNI
Staff Writer | Monday March 8, 2010 00:00

 

With 14, BCL Mine had the most accidents. Jwaneng Mine recorded six, Tati three, Mowana and Orapa two each, while Botash, Mupane Gold Mine, Belabela Quarries, Lobatse Quarry and Lobatse Clay Works recorded one accident each, Minister Ponatshego Kedikilwe said.

But while accidents were fewer for the year, 2009 was traumatic for workers in the mining and affiliated industries.Kedikilwe revealed that 3, 471 workers lost their jobs in mining, bearing the brunt of the global recession on the domestic economy. By the end of last year, mining employed 15, 359 workers, down from 18, 830 at the end of 2008.

'The most affected group was outsourced service providers whose services had to be terminated to conserve cash when the mines suspended non-critical projects,' the minister said. One such service provider was Moolmans Mining Botswana which had to retrench 177 workers due to unpaid debts from mines and cancellation of supply contracts.

Even workers in the fledgling diamond cutting and polishing industry were not spared the effects of the recession.'Diamond cutting factories, as at end of 2009, employed 2, 489 people,' Kedikilwe said.

'This compares to 3, 178 in December 2008. The decline was due to most factories scaling down their operations as a result of the poor diamond market.'

On the brighter side, Kedikilwe said positive signs had emerged on the mining landscape. These included increased carat volumes processed by the cutting and polishing firms. In 2006, the industry processed 50, 000 carats, rising to 80, 000 in 2007 and upwards of 135, 000 since 2008.

'The industry has grown from three factories in 2003 to 16 in 2009,' said the minister. 'The 16th started its operations last November. However, the industry is facing challenges because of the recession. These challenges include the fall in prices of polished diamonds, firms being forced to operate below capacity and retrenchments.'

Kedikilwe said the government would continue to assist mines on a case-by-case basis. Stakeholder engagement was continuing on the resumption of operations at Lerala Mine that, weighed down by cash flow constraints and a collapse in diamond prices, closed early last year.

The Minister said the government would also facilitate the development of mining projects such as AK6, Gope, BK11, Mmamabula and Mmamantswe. 'We will also continue with the development of national infrastructures at budget deficits in order to position the country to be ready to take off immediately after the recession,' he said.

'This includes building of major infrastructure such as the Morupule B Power Station, whose groundbreaking I officiated at recently.'