BCL Mine: One year later
Friday, October 27, 2017
Politicians and unionists joined hands to press for reopening, in vain
SELEBI-PHIKWE: October 7, 2017 marked the first anniversary of the closure of the BCL Mine, a life-changing event that remains fresh in the minds of the plus-minus 4,600 rendered jobless.
October 7 will be archived in Selebi-Phikwe’s history books as the town’s darkest day. All the employees, including those who were contracted and sub-contracted to the mine, dependents included, received the biggest shock of their lives. This was the day that the phrase ‘imminent mine closure’ that they had seen in numerous internal memos and which had become a cliché became reality.
That should concern every Motswana. The implications extend far beyond cattle and farmers. Botswana’s beef industry is a critical pillar of the economy, supporting thousands of households and sustaining businesses along the value chain.The loss of access to lucrative export markets has already demonstrated how quickly an animal-health crisis can become an economic crisis.This is, therefore, not the time for complacency, blame, or political...