Gaborone — Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security Mr Eric Molale says Debswana has a Social Performance Framework through which it seeks, among others, to localise and develop tourism activities within neighbouring communities.
Mr Molale said to advance this objective; the mine began by doing research, including desktop research, which would assist in the profiling of economic initiatives within neighbouring communities.
He said the mine, in addition, facilitated the communities to register trusts that would manage the developed tourism facilities as well as assist with capacity building to help the communities manage their assets and generate sustainable income.
Minister Molale explained that the development of the Tsonyane Cultural Heritage Site, a partnership between Debswana, Tsonyane community, Department of National Museum and Monuments, and the Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) committee was a case in point.
Mr Molale said for the year 2019, Debswana had committed to develop an economic development project in Mabutsane that would entail construction of market stalls, kraals, a loading ramp and a horse track with the view to stimulate economic activity within surrounding villages.
He said with regard to communities near Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa mines (OLDM), Debswana had a programme called Orapa Today, Boteti Tomorrow (OTBT), explaining that the concept of Boteti Tomorrow was about tourism.
He said it sought to position Boteti as a gateway to the greater Makgadikgadi, leveraging on using the first great diamond mine in Botswana and the mine museum to attract visitors to the area.
The minister indicated that a feasibility study on community benefit programme was underway.
Mr Molale noted further that currently the mine was undertaking stakeholder consultations among neighbouring communities to identify sustainable partnership models that could leverage on the game park asset and form an economic diversification stream through tourism.
He said the model for rolling out beneficiation from the game assets involving youth would be informed by the outcome of the community consultation exercise and evaluation of the available models proposed.
The minister noted that the proposed co-management of the game park asset was in alignment with the long term vision of leaving a lasting legacy and resilient post mining communities.
MP for Jwaneng-Mabutsane, Mr Shawn Ntlhaile had asked the minister to state the steps taken to localise tourism activities through partnership between Debswana, local communities and accredited youth business entities.
Furthermore, he had wanted to know how much Debswana Jwaneng mine planned to divert from its game farm assets and incubate upcoming youth entrepreneurs in the area.
<i>Source : BOPA</i>
