Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines (OLDM) General Manager, Bakani Motlhabani, who is also a member of the Board of Directors of Tokafala, has launched the first Mining Suppliers Development Programme on the 6th July 2020.

The programme is run through Tokafala- a partnership between the Government of the Republic of Botswana, Debswana Diamond Company, De Beers Group and Anglo American.

According to Motlhabani the objective of the Supplier Development Programme is to develop the capacity and the competitiveness of citizen companies to improve their access to markets and ensure sustainable enterprises. He said that the programme will focus on improving skills in the areas of sales, operations, financial, strategic business management and further include a six months Aftercare Support programme.

Motlhabani further said that a total of 100 participants have been enrolled on the Mining Supplier Development Programme of which 47 are from Boteti and 53 from Jwaneng/Mabutsane area. He expressed his happiness that that the programme has particularly made efforts to enroll as many female owned businesses as possible, with 31% of the participants being women.

He reaffirmed Debswana’s commitment to continue to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to Botswana and communities around the mines, noting that the company has a Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme (CEEP), which is aimed at capacitating citizen companies to participate in Debswana’s Supply Chain.

In her part, Tokafala Programme Director, Montle Phutego explained to the participants that her organisation will work with them to develop strong businesses with diversity of product and market, further noting that they would conduct a diagnostic assessment of their businesses in order to set new goals and direct their energies and resources to areas of high impact. She thanked the Debswana team for their support towards getting the programme to fruition. (Debswana)