Masama Mine workers down tools

Tools down: Operations at Masama Coal Mine have reportedly ground to a halt PIC: MINERGYCOAL.COM
Tools down: Operations at Masama Coal Mine have reportedly ground to a halt PIC: MINERGYCOAL.COM

More than 300 workers at Masama Coal Mine have downed tools ahead of their retrenchment scheduled for March 31, as their employer, a mining contractor, continues to seek solutions for a financial dispute with the colliery’s owner, Minergy Limited.

Jarcon Opencast Mining Botswana, which has conducted mining operations for Minergy since 2019 when Masama Mine began operating, is reportedly owed tens of millions of pula by the Botswana Stock Exchange-listed company for its services.

Jarcon has filed papers with the Commissioner of Labour and the Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU) indicating its intention to retrench more than 300 workers on March 31. Ahead of the due date, Mmegi is informed that workers have decided to stay at home while the contractor and Minergy engage in last-minute discussions to resolve the deadlock over payments.

Editor's Comment
Micro-procurement maze demands urgent reform

Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...

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