Morupule Coal Mine (MCM) has backed its commitment to citizen 8economic empowerment with over P1.3 billion and more than 2,500 jobs supported in the last three years.
The numbers were unpacked by MCM Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme (CEEP) Coordinator, Tirelo Ramasedi, during a visit to the mine by the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Kenewendo, recently.
According to Ramasedi, in the last three to four years, MCM’s top 20 citizen suppliers have accounted for 59.1 percent of this cumulative P1.3 billion.
Ramasedi explained that the company also measures its impact on growing citizen businesses from small to medium by growth in annual turnover from P1.5 million to over P5 million.
“In total, transactions of 14,608 have been completed across the board in terms of citizen businesses, and 492 suppliers being engaged,” said Ramasedi.
“Some of the sectors that have been represented in our top 20 since 2022 include mining services across the board, whether it is extraction, value addition, and construction.”
While transportation forms a significant part of MCM, Ramasedi said there is limited citizen businesses participation in this sector.
Hence in October 2023, MCM began Bulk Overhaul Citizen Transporters initiative.
“We are proud to report more than 80 percent of our spending in terms of transportation,” said Ramasedi.
Ramasedi explained that the company also measures its impact on growing citizen businesses from small to medium by growth in annual turnover from P1.5 million to over P5 million.
Speaking during the mine visit, Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Kenewendo, said the ministry is finalising new Mines and Minerals Regulations that will require greater local beneficiation and stronger local content across every mineral value chain in Botswana, coal included.
“The days of measuring a mining operation’s contribution purely by tonnage or royalties are ending,” Kenewendo said.
Minister Kenewendo explained that citizen participation is not a Corporate Social Responsibility, but a government policy written in the National Development Plan (NDP) and the Economic Transformation Programme.
“It is one of the clearest measures I have, whether a mining licence is actually working for this country,” said Kenewendo.
