Govt suspends royalties for copper miners

Kitso Mokaila briefing the media.PIC.KENNEDY RAMOKONE
Kitso Mokaila briefing the media.PIC.KENNEDY RAMOKONE

Government has deferred royalty payments for the struggling copper miners, as part of efforts to save jobs in the mining industry, which has been hit hard by weak international commodity prices. When addressing the media in Gaborone yesterday, the minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Kitso Mokaila said the country’s two privately owned copper miners Discovery Metals and African Copper will be saved from paying royalties for up to a year.

“A decision has been taken to defer the payment of royalties for the copper mining companies. The decision will be reviewed after a year then we will decide whether the market has recovered enough for copper mining to become viable again, then they will pay the royalties. It is deferment not a write off.

It is part of measures being put in place to save jobs in the industry,” he said.

Editor's Comment
Gov't must guard against cadre deployment

As the Botswana National Front (BNF) discusses a policy to place suitably qualified members in strategic positions, the guiding consideration should remain whether an individual is the best person to serve the country. There is nothing wrong with qualified party members applying for public positions. Political affiliation should neither disqualify a capable candidate nor give them an advantage over others. Every Motswana deserves a fair...

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