The Projects Magazine

The Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries is coming to Gaborone, Botswana! From December 10-13, global leaders and stakeholders will come together to address challenges and drive solutions for landlocked developing countries. Let's work together to build a sustainable future. Register here to participate https://lnkd.in/exnzJV6J #LLDC3

[Watch] Minister of Minerals & Energy Hon Lefoko Maxwell Moagi explaining why Government entrusted state owned Botswana Oil Limited with importation of 90% of the country's fuel consumption.

𝗣𝟭.𝟲 𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗚𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗭𝗜 𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗦 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 A transformative P1.6 billion land servicing and Wastewater Treatment Plant Project broke ground today in Ghanzi.The project will enhance local infrastructure, creating a foundation for future residential and commercial development. During the ceremony, Vice President Slumber Tsogwane explained that the project is divided into two packages. "Package 1 involves full land servicing of Ghanzi Block 7 to produce 2,151 fully serviced plots. 2,114 of these plots are for residential use, 23 are for Civic and community use, while 14 of these plots are for industrial use." He said. The Vice President emphasised that the Project is being constructed on virgin land, it has not been allocated or development. Additionally ,Package 2 encompasses full land servicing of already developed plots within Ghanzi block 1 to 7 to bring the standard of services for the entire township to that of cities. The tender was awarded to Ossy & Sons – Classic Clean Joint Venture, 100% citizen owned contractors at a cost of P 644 527, 726.23 . The project commenced in October 2023 and is scheduled to be completed in October 2025. The progress is at 32% against planned of 33%. The project currently has 218 employees. In detail, there will be construction of 41Km of roads to bituminous standards and associated drainage works; Construction of 55km of Potable Water Supply Reticulation; Design and Build of 55km of Vacuum Sewer system; Design and Construction of Electrical, Mechanical and Telemetry works; and Construction of telecommunication civil works. For Ghanzi Blocks 1-6 land servicing officially commenced on the 23rd September 2024 for a period of 24 months, the contractors are at mobilization stage. The construction of this project is planned to take 24 months and will be completed in September 2026. This is for infrastructure services in Block 1 to 6 which covers areas of Morama, Kgapamadi South, Khurakhura, Bosele and Meriting which are commonly known in Ghanzi Township. The scope of the Project entails the construction of Construction of 36 Km of roads to bituminous standards and associated drainage works; Construction of 40km of Water Reticulation; Design and Build of 43.8km of Vacuum Sewer System; Design and Build of Wastewater Treatment Facility; Construction of telecommunication Civil Works; and Design and Construction of Electrical, Mechanical and Telemetry works. This project will service 1,986 existing plots, of 1,860 are Residential plots, 110 are Industrial plots and provision of treated effluent to 16 Horticultural plots. Furthermore, construction of the Ghanzi Land Servicing Infrastructure Block 1 – 6 and Wastewater Treatment Plant Project was awarded to Zhengtai – Land Mark Projects and Tau Grading Joint Venture at a cost of P1, 033, 483, 490.74. Bothakga Burrow Botswana has also been hired as an Engineering Consultant.

𝗗𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝟴 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛 𝗣𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗗 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗢𝗟𝗔 , 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗦 𝗗𝗥𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗫𝗧 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥 - CEO Al Cook meets President João Lourenço - Cook says Angola is the best place on earth to look for new diamonds. De Beers Group, the world ‘s largest diamond company is making significant progress with its exploration for high value diamonds in Angola. During the Angola International Diamond Conference De Beers Group CEO Al Cook revealed that they have identified eight(8) high potential kimberlite targets have already as a result of the Group’s airborne magnetic surveying work. In the first half of 2024, De Beers Group completed all planned airborne electromagnetic surveys across both of its exploration concessions in Angola, while also commencing the airborne magnetic survey activity, discovery drilling and ground geophysics in the Group’s concession in Lumboma in the Lunda-Norte province. Since then, De Beers Group has also carried out airborne magnetic surveys in its other exploration concession, Muconda, located in Angola’s Lunda-Sul province, and intends to complete the airborne magnetic survey work in Lumboma in the coming months. This critical activity, which involves two survey aircraft supported by a helicopter, enables the acquisition of the data required to identify kimberlite targets for further assessment. Discovery phase drilling activity, focused on assessing the potential of identified targets, is now fully operational and will continue on the targets with the highest geological potential. Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, said: “As we continue to put our Origins strategy into action, we are making good progress with our diamond exploration in Angola – the world’s most prospective region for new diamond deposits – and we are very pleased to have already identified eight new high potential kimberlite targets in Angola as a result of our work. “Alongside this, we are working hard with our partners in Government, both on enhancing the environment for long-term investors in the nation and on making sure we have all the tools in place to realise the socio-economic benefit of diamonds for the country. On the sidelines of the conference Al Cook met President Angola João Lourenço and shared “Very good to meet Angola’s President Lourenco today, and to inform him that we have identified 8 high potential prospects on our diamond licences. “We believe that Angola is the best place on earth to look for new diamonds, and we will be drilling the prospects in 2025. Wish us luck!” Botswana Government owns 15 % of De Beers Group , a skate which might increase as Anglo American - the current 85 % shareholder moves to divest from the diamond giant.

[Watch] #teaser…BDC officially launches Delta Automotive Technologies,a vehicle wiring harnesses manufacturing company in Lobatse. This company supplies Nissan and VW car manufacturing plants in South Africa , and currently employs 356 people , 95% of which are Batswana.

𝗣𝟭.𝟭 𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗔 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗡 𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔, 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 | 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 The Mmamashia Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project, one of the largest water infrastructure projects in the region, has been commissioned, increasing the facility's raw water treatment capacity to 110 million liters per day. During the commissioning, the Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, Dr. Kefentse Mzwinila, stated, "The Mmamashia Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project is designed to receive and treat 110 million liters per day of raw water from the Dikgatlhong and Letsibogo dams through the North-South Carrier (NSC) system." Water from the Gaborone Dam, delivered via the North-South Carrier 2.3 pipeline, can also be treated at Mmamashia, enhancing the resilience of water supply to the facility. The P1.1 billion project was awarded in September 2020 to a joint venture consisting of Khato Civils, South Zambezi, CMS, and NTR JV. The Environmental Management Services for the project were contracted to local company Ecosurv (Pty) Ltd for P2,314,064.82, VAT exclusive. Highlighting the engineering ingenuity behind the project, Dr. Mzwinila noted that it currently supplies bulk water to Greater Gaborone, covering areas including Mochudi, Gaborone, Ramotswa, Kanye, Moshupa, Lobatse, Goodhope, Molepolole, and surrounding villages. Residents in the supply area now have access to Class 1 potable water that meets the required BOS 32:2015 standards. Water Utilities Corporation CEO, Gaselemogwe Senai, acknowledged challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, which impacted the procurement of steel pipes and semiconductors. Senai also emphasized the plant's drought resilience. He explained that a pumping system at Bokaa Dam can transfer water to Mmamashia WTW, Gaborone Dam, and Gaborone WTW. This setup ensures that during droughts, when water levels at Gaborone Dam drop, water can be redirected from Mmamashia to Gaborone for treatment and distribution.

𝗕𝗦𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗣𝟰𝟭𝟮 𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗢𝗡, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 On 22nd October 2024 , the Botswana Stock Exchange traded P412 million in total market turnover which is the highest single day turnover on the BSE so far in 2024. In a statement , the BSE note that " this comprises of trades across almost all the counters on the Main and Ventures Boatds, as well as Exchange Traded Funds (EFTs), and constitutes sixty transactions in total." Commenting on this, the Acting CEO, Kopano Bolokwe remarked, “As we highlighted in the BSE Market Performance Report for January to September 2024, we are experiencing a trend where firstly all the stocks and instruments are being transacted, and then secondly the number of transactions continue to rise. This is very crucial when it comes to growing the liquidity of instruments on the BSE, because this then results in the ability of investors to move more easily in and out of instruments, lower price volatility, improved price discovery and more reflective price information.” Mr. Bolokwe added that, “When liquidity increases, the BSE becomes attractive to potential issuers and investors and this translates into a greater ability to attract even more international issuers and investors. In the process, our economy as a whole would benefit with companies being increasingly able to access capital from a diverse pool of investors at a reasonable cost, subsequently increasing investment in their businesses and driving increased employment and their overall contribution to the economy”. Furthermore, the statement reads that, the trades were mainly on account of institutional portfolio rebalancing and ordinary market transactions. Prior to today, the largest single day trades recorded this year, which were trades of over P100 Million in a day, were P119 Million on 20 March 2024 and P112 Million on 30 January 2024.

𝗚𝗜𝗬𝗔𝗡𝗜 𝗦𝗘𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗢 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗔𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗞𝗔𝗡𝗬𝗘 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 | 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘀 Giyani Metals, a Canadian critical minerals development company, is making significant progress toward delivering its first manganese from the K-Hill project before the end of this year. Today, the company announced that its Demo Plant, currently under construction in Johannesburg, is now entering the commissioning phase. Key milestones include the successful commissioning of the steam boiler, plant air supply system, and demineralized water plant. The Demo Plant is a smaller-scale replica of the proposed Commercial Plant, which Giyani plans to build in Botswana. This facility will help the company understand how the Commercial Plant will operate prior to construction, commissioning, and ramp-up, which is slated for 2027. The Commercial Plant will be located adjacent to Giyani’s extensive 100%-owned manganese oxide ore sources in southern Botswana. The Demo Plant enables further optimization of the engineering design and flowsheet, aiming to reduce operating costs and carbon emissions. This work is being conducted in parallel with the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS), which is currently underway and expected to be completed in 2025. The Demo Plant is on track for commissioning and aims to produce up to 600 kg per day of battery-grade manganese (HPMSM) in Q4 2024. The HPMSM produced will be supplied to offtakers for testing and qualification. Giyani will keep the market updated on progress at the Demo Plant. Charles FitzRoy, President and CEO of Giyani, emphasized that the Demo Plant entering the commissioning phase aligns with the company’s goal of delivering its first production of battery-grade manganese in Q4 this year. FitzRoy noted that the Demo Plant’s size and design provide a strong foundation for Giyani to engage with potential offtake partners and offer advantages that smaller or non-continuous facilities cannot. The continuous process flow of the Demo Plant will enable the team to achieve steady-state operations over extended periods, demonstrating Giyani’s capability to produce consistent battery-grade manganese and meet offtake requirements. Furthermore, continuous operation at a pre-commercial scale will provide critical insights into how the Commercial Plant will perform, significantly de-risking the project. “The successful construction and operation of the Demo Plant is a crucial step in demonstrating the fundamental value of the project to investors and potential offtake partners, as well as in positioning the company to become a leading producer of high-purity battery-grade manganese for the EV battery market. The results of this initiative will yield significant strategic and operational benefits, and we look forward to providing further updates in due course.”

𝗗𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗜𝗡 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗔 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗦 De Beers Group today announced it will provide data on country of origin for all De Beers-sourced rough diamonds above 1.25 carats that are newly registered on the Tracr platform, the world’s leading digital platform for tracing natural diamonds from source at scale. From the start of 2025, this will be extended to rough diamonds above 1 carat in size (equivalent to approximately 0.5 carats and above in polished form), thereby aligning with the size threshold for new diamond import requirements for G7 countries. For the first time, this will enable diamond jewellery consumers at scale to engage with the unique journeys their diamonds have taken from source. The inclusion of specific origin data reinforces De Beers' commitment to transparency, ethical sourcing and consumer confidence as it continues to deliver on its Origins strategy. The announcement was made at a ‘Spotlight on Diamonds’ event hosted in Paris and attended by a range of the world’s leading luxury jewellery brands. Alongside an update on its Origins strategy, De Beers Group also provided insights into its broader sustainability progress as part of its Building Forever framework, highlighting how the business will focus on priority areas of livelihoods, climate and nature. Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, said: “For the first time in history, we have the technology to provide our customers with the provenance of their diamonds at scale. We know that our clients care deeply about sustainability and want to understand the good their diamonds have done. Our ambition is to offer them the story of every De Beers-sourced diamond, tracing its journey and positive impact from its origin to its crafting.” Previously, Tracr provided ‘DTC’ origin for all registered diamonds sourced from De Beers Group, confirming that the diamond originated from one of the Group’s operations in either Botswana, Canada, Namibia or South Africa. This approach reflected De Beers Group’s aggregation process (blending together like for like types of diamonds regardless of which of the four countries they were produced in), which is a key component of the value proposition both for diamond producing countries and rough diamond buying customers. However, with the introduction of new proprietary scanning technology in diamond producing countries and the application of advanced algorithmic matching enabled by artificial intelligence, Tracr is now able to ‘digitally disaggregate’ diamonds to confirm their specific country of origin. As De Beers Group implements its Origins strategy, the business will continue to evolve and advance the Tracr platform. Tracr is working with a range of leading businesses and entities across the diamond value chain, increasing its reach across the sector while expanding the share of supply registered on the platform.

𝗣𝟮.𝟯 𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗖𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗠𝗢𝗟𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗟𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗦 After years of grappling with water shortages, Molepolole will soon see its water woes come to an end. New water infrastructure projects, ranging from distribution networks, water and sanitation as well as the Gamononyane - Molepolole NSC are set to boost water availability, alleviating the stress on local ecosystems and providing much-needed relief to residents and industries alike.This critical turning point in the ongoing battle against water scarcity will cost P2.3 billion. Speaking earlier today during the Gamononyane- Molepolole NSC connection and ground breaking for Molepolole water and sanitation project, the Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, Professor Kefentse Mzwinila said that the project is in three parts. This includes, remedial works to the distribution network which will cost P662 million, water and sanitation project amounting to P607 million which is said will be the largest after Glenvalley and the Gamononyane- Molepolole NSC will amount to P981 million. The Minister said that it might have taken a long time to achieve this but finally there is progress. He said that all the North-South carriers are connected therefore, all projects required meticulous effort because a failure of one is a failure of the entire sysytem. He explained to the attendees that the Gamononyane- Molepolole NSC is fed by Dikgatlhong Dam which is in the Northern part of Botswana. " The water has been pumped for 500km to reach here from Dikgatlhong. It has also travelled 585km and 675km to reach Kanye and Sekhutlhane respectively." Mzwinila said this goes on to show the Government commitment to bringing water to the thirst striken southern part of Botswana. Water Utilities Corporation CEO, Gaselemogwe Senai explained that the Gamononyane- Molepolole NSC will supply 12 villages in the kweneng cluster. Furthermore, a 123.3 km pipeline has been constructed which includes 7 steel drums and 7 pump stations. Senai mentioned that of the 106 Batswana who qualified for compensation, 103 have been paid a total of P8.5 million. The remaining 3 will be paid as well. At full capacity the project will pump 72 million liters for 20 years to augment the current 30 million liters being pumped. Statistically, Molepolole is currently receiving 10 million liters of water compared to the 13 million needed daily. Senai attributed this shortage to an old distribution network which has a leakage of about 56million liters Additionally, 30 million liters is delivered daily to Scottish Livingstone Hospital while the village receives 12 million liters from the corporations water borders. When addressing the residents, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi assured them that water will be an avenue for agro tourism. He urged them to apply for Chema Chema of which P30 million has been spent in both Molepolole North and South.