UNLOCKING BOTSWANA’S MINING POTENTIAL WITH EPCM EXPERTISE

In the pursuit of economic prosperity, Botswana stands as a shining example for South Africa in its e orts to harness its abundant mineral resources to drive growth. Yet achieving broad-based, future-proof economic growth in the country calls for professional engineering expertise and investment to enhance the sector’s development and workforce skills.

The mining and quarrying industry emerged once again as the major contributor to Botswana’s economy in 2022, accounting for 24.6% of its GDP, as per Statistics Botswana’s Gross Domestic Product: Fourth Quarter of 2022 report. Notably, the real value added by the coal, soda ash, and diamond industries grew by 21.8%, 8.9%, and 7% respectively, underlining the sector’s dynamic diversity and growth potential.

James Othapile, Erudite Botswana’s managing director, notes that the key in meeting this potential and ensuring the country’s longterm mining growth lies in optimising the country’s operations.

“Multinational Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management organisations (EPCMs) have primarily been serving the local mining industry, but this approach has brought little to no substantial local empowerment to the local engineering sector in which they operate. This creates a significant advantage when partnering with more localised, African-based EPCMs – their commitment to local ownership and skills development.”

He notes that there are two key benefits. Firstly, by subcontracting local companies, EPCM firms directly facilitate the growth of the local economy, creating jobs and driving income growth. This approach goes a long way in supporting the growth of local enterprises, o ering them lucrative opportunities to participate in significant projects and gain exposure to the industry.

Secondly, these firms deploy comprehensive training programmes designed to enhance the professional capabilities of local workforces. This helps raise the skill levels within their immediate teams and contributes to a broader ecosystem of well-trained professionals. The long-term impact of such initiatives is substantial, equipping workforces in countries such as Botswana with the expertise needed to lead future projects and drive innovation in the sector.

“Sustained investment in local subcontracting and training forms an integral part of EPCMs’ strategies. By committing to these initiatives, they can nurture an ecosystem of skilled professionals and robust enterprises. As we’ve seen in Botswana, the ripple e ects of such an ecosystem are substantial, with potential to contribute significantly to economic growth well beyond the completion of initial projects,” says Othapile.