De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM), a 26% BEE (black economic empowered) company, has signed an agreement to sell Kimberley Mines (including the tailings mineral resources (TMR) as a going concern to Ekapa Minerals (Pty) Limited – an investor consortium. The consortium comprises Ekapa Mining (Pty) (Ekapa Mining) (50.1%) and Petra Diamonds Limited (Petra) (49.9%), which both have proven track records in diamond mining in Kimberley; Ekapa Mining as a medium sized TMR processing business and Petra Diamonds in the underground workings of the Kimberley Underground Mines. Over the last few years, DBCM has explored a variety of options to extend…
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The World Bank Group has unveiled a new plan that calls for $16 billion in funding to help African people and countries adapt to climate change and build up the continent’s resilience to climate shocks. Titled Accelerating Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Development, the Africa Climate Business Plan will be presented at COP21, the global climate talks in Paris, on November 30. It lays out measures to boost the resilience of the continent’s assets – its people, land, water, and cities – as well as other moves including boosting renewable energy and strengthening early warning systems. “Sub-Saharan Africa is highly vulnerable to…
Survival International, the NGO focusing on protecting the rights of tribal people around the world, has claimed that Basarwa continue to suffer although the diamond rich Botswana profits from multi nationals mining in the country. According to the organisation, the Botswana government has declined to use the resources it derives from diamond mining to support the Bushmen, instead spending lavishly on visits from foreign dignitaries, sponsored content and advertising campaigns. Recently, the second-largest diamond in history was discovered close to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, the recognised ancestral homeland of the Bushman people, said Survival, complaining that “Botswana has been…
Stéphane Richard, CEO of Orange and Isabelle Kocher, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of ENGIE have signed a partnership covering two projects – the expansion of the rural electricity grid and ENGIE’s optimisation of energy supplied to Orange’s telecoms infrastructure in Africa. The deal between Orange and ENGIE––both official partners of COP21––reasserts the companies’ willingness to use their technological knowledge to achieve sustainable progress and economic and social development in Africa. The strength of the partnership is based on Orange’s expertise as an international telecoms carrier present in 19 countries in Africa and the Middle East, and ENGIE’s know-how…
The e-commerce shopping experience is increasingly becoming a popular option for consumers during the festive season. Retailers therefore need to pay careful attention to their supply chains during this period, as operations and delivery are key to client satisfaction, maximizing brand exposure and increasing revenue. Oliver Facey, Vice President of Operations for DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa points to the 2015 Benchmark report series: Ecommerce Holiday Trends(1), which shows that November and December drive 30% more e-commerce revenue than non-holiday months. “This surge highlights the impact of holiday season spending habits and why retailers need to optimize their service levels…
Gauteng-based Mega Water Corporation has celebrated its first birthday with a decisive step forward in its strategy to revolutionise water supply in South Africa and across the African continent. Mega Water Corporation has bought the entire businesses of Water Engineering and Pumping Technology (WET), WET Solar and JV Building Wet Services as going concerns. This makes Mega Water Corporation the first emerging business to operate in the water-industry sector. “Water supplies are a global concern and in South Africa, they have been developing towards a crisis that could come to rival electricity supply,” says Mega Water Corporation founder and Chief…
Rio Tinto will expand output from one of the world’s premier bauxite deposits following approval of the $1.9 billion Amrun project. Amrun involves the construction of a bauxite mine and associated processing and port facilities on the Cape York Peninsula in north Queensland. The planned initial output is 22.8 million tonnes a year1, replacing production from the depleting East Weipa mine and increasing annual bauxite exports from Cape York by around 10 million tonnes. Production and shipping are expected to commence in the first half of 2019, ramping up to full production by the end of the year. The project’s design…
Botswana’s procuring body, the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) has given the nod to government’s request to award Owners Engineer contract for 300MW greenfield energy project as Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) moves to plug the energy gap. The country has two coal fired power stations namely; Morupule A, which is under care-and-maintenance and the struggling 600MW Morupule B. PPADB said in state owned Daily News that it has “approved” the tender number PR 10/1/3/14-4 as per the request from procuring ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources. The request was in relation to the recommendation to award the…
In a quest to end the 40th Anniversary year in style, local short tern insurer Botswana Insurance Company Limited (BIC) gave away free fuel vouchers, valued at P500-00 to selected Motor Insurance policyholders to thank and appreciate them for their loyalty and continued support. One of the selected winners, Chabaesele Kesegofetse, a direct client said the voucher is an early Christmas gift to her, and it made her feel appreciated that BIC recognises her efforts of monthly premium payments. She also urged BIC to continue doing the good work and providing the best customer service. “BIC will continue to provide…
Galane Gold Ltd. said it has closed its previously announced acquisition of a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of Galaxy Gold Mining Limited, a gold mining company with operations in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. The company with operation in Botswana said it will make an offer to all other shareholders of Galaxy to acquire the remaining Galaxy Shares on economically equivalent terms. Galane Gold entered into share purchase agreements with certain majority shareholders of Galaxy, pursuant to which a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company agreed to acquire approximately 74% of the issued and outstanding…