Phikwe�s heart beats again

Albert Paki, Selebi Phikwe’s first mayor who served between 1981 and 1982, fondly remembers the early days of the Selebi Phikwe Cooperative Society’s establishment. As the town formed around the fairly new copper and nickel mining operations, the cooperative, popularly known as ‘Copa’ became its first retail centre.

The Co-op was the first to sell groceries, quickly gaining the hearts of residents.  The establishment of a trendy bar also made it a magnet for social life in the blossoming town.