The Botswana Chamber of Mines was established to advocate for and serve the interests of a wide range of member companies in the mining and exploration sectors, and associated businesses. It is a role that comes with a great deal of responsibility, as the industry it represents is also the primary driver of economic activity in Botswana, and that is set to continue for the foreseeable future.
Established in 1984, the Chamber of Mines is a privately run, non-profit making organisation whose membership is made up of mineral exploration companies, mining companies, contracting companies and suppliers of goods and services to the mining industry.
“Our mission is one of advocacy for our members, ensuring business is conducted within their organisations as efficiently and thoughtfully as possible,” explains Charles Siwawa, CEO of Botswana Chamber of Mines. “Of course, there are bottlenecks, laws and regulations that can complicate matters. Our job is to reach consensus with the government over that regulatory environment so that our members’ operations are carried out as effectively as possible.”
It is an organisation led by a clearly defined set of values which govern the way the Chamber operates and interacts with internal and external stakeholders. One of those values is “Unity”, which drives the company to actively promote its shared purpose and commitments, speaking with one voice, and acting as one team to honour and deliver the Chamber’s business. “Good governance” is another watchword, and the Chamber’s operations and ways of working are characterised by compliance with good practice and ethical standards. It is an organisation that is transparent and honest in all of its dealings.
Reinforcing the Supply Chain
Botswana Chamber of Mines’ duty is not limited to negotiating over regulations, however. It is there to partner with and support the mining industry in the face of a wide range of challenges. Safety is a priority across the Chamber and its members, who are committed to conducting their business without harm to people, or the environment.
“One of the many issues that is currently affecting our members in the mining industry is that most of the parts and equipment are imported from outside Botswana,” Siwawa tells us. “That is a challenge because these goods tend to be very expensive. This is why we have backed a project to manufacture those goods inside Botswana. It gives us the control necessary to maintain standards of quality and ensure on-time delivery while also creating employment and retaining money that would otherwise have left the country when we purchased these goods.”
It is a project that is already making great progress.
“We have put a couple of companies on the table that are manufacturing goods for the mining industry, and we are seeing positive effects already,” Siwawa says.
As well as sourcing parts and equipment, Botswana’s mining sector also depends on access to a skilled and dedicated labour pool, and that is another challenge that the Botswana Chamber of Mines is positioned to address. The Botswana Chamber of Mines prides itself on being a meritocracy that promotes and recognises excellence in its dealings within, as well as outside the Chamber.
“It is one of the areas we have tackled, and achieved a degree of success in,” Siwawa says. “The first thing to do is ensure employees are hired based on transparent criteria and set of standards. You must also continue to develop in-house skills, which from time to time will mean retraining your existing employees.”
To this end, Botswana Chamber of Mines has established a training levy that assists its members in meeting the need to train and upskill employees.
“Some of the skills our members need are not necessarily available within the country, so we are working on training artisans in particularly needed skills,” Siwawa points out.
A Greener Future
As well as ensuring the future health of Botswana’s mining industry, Botswana Mining Chamber is also working to ensure the health of the planet. The Botswana Chamber of Mines and its members make a point of promoting good corporate citizenship. Its business operations are designed to benefit all of the communities it interacts with through well-managed corporate social responsibility programmes.
“The mining industry in Botswana prides itself that we have managed to maintain internationally adopted standards because of our connections with international bodies,” Siwawa explains. “We are affiliated with the mining industry associations of southern Africa. We are also affiliated with the International Council on Mining and Metals. Mining houses from around the world congregate there and set international standards.”
That council has declared a move towards sustainable mining and Botswana is ready to adopt those standards.
“We are looking at issues of sustainability and health and safety to understand where the rest of the world is going and how we can stay in step with them,” Siwawa says.
As it engages in setting these standards and bringing Botswana’s mining industry on board, the Botswana Chamber of Mines is painting a bright picture for the future.
“The success of the secretariat is dependent on the success of its members. As that grows, so does the scope for us to increase our membership,” Siwawa says. “We can grow this membership and build a sustainable industry through the chamber. We are a subscription-based secretariat, with a role to play in advising our members, and carrying out advocacy for our members to governmental and non-governmental organisations, so the future remains wide open to us.”
Siwawa is also keen to demonstrate the opportunities that Botswana offers to investors from elsewhere.
“As a country, we welcome foreign direct investment into our industry. We want people to come and look at our minerals and the opportunities to gain financially from their investment.”
