Dark skies return to BCL Mine
Friday, October 23, 2015
Trouble times: Workers at BCL are bearing the brunt of the blues
Seven years ago, BCL Mine executives gathered in Gaborone and handed government a cheque for approximately P30 million, being the first dividend paid after years of financial stress caused mainly by poor global base metal prices.
Montwedi Mphathi, the then general manager, could afford a smile on that occasion, having steered the mine through a trying period of operational losses, during which he became every unionist’s number one enemy.
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...