Page 33 - issue 23

Technically Speaking 33

Responsibility (CSR) of large corporations
as part of their responsibilities towards
society.

The SLO concept emerged in the mining
sector as a means of engaging with the
local communities they were working
in. Issues such as deforestation, oil
spillages and societal exploitation were
starting to be widely publicized with
the potential to negatively affect the
mining and petroleum corporations
as they were now facing public
opposition and demonstrations and
the concept emerged.“It has been
observed that where there is lack of
proper engagement between mining Part of Morupule Coal Mine
companies and the local communities in
which they operate, conflicts could arise
which may end up leading to the mines a tool from Anglo American called SEAT Botswana. The law only requires that
operation being interrupted and could (Socio-Economic Assessment Toolbox) mining companies conduct necessary
result in the mine being closed,” he said. initiated in September 2015, which aims Environmental Impact Assessment
to help the mine better understand the before commencing on their operations,
Application of the concept of SLO is stakeholder perceptions on the mining and that those that do have an SLO do it
relatively new in the Botswana context. company, in terms of what they are on a voluntary basis.
Botswana has a structured and formal doing or not doing well, what could be In his closing remarks he made
approach to the granting of mining improved in their social performance recommendations including but not
licenses. These include a Prospecting, and in their relationship with the limited to ideas that the Government
Retention, Mining License and Minerals stakeholders. of Botswana should provide guidelines
Permit. However, obtaining these outlining the issues around SLO and the
licenses is different from securing It is a process that facilitates free, honest various roles to be played by stakeholders
the acceptance and approval of local and open communication, so both the 2. Mining companies should engage the
communities to mining companies in negative and positive impacts of the community in a clear and transparent
order to best manage the mining sector. mine’s operations as well as the types manner.3. Mining companies need to
It is necessary for Botswana to critically of management responses that are ensure that compensation rates are
review the effects of mining on local required to address those impacts are at market rates and as prescribed by
communities. There is therefore a need addressed. Stakeholder engagement is the land boards. 4. An establishment
to run a parallel process of applying and a key pillar of the SEAT process which of a community relations office may
securing an SLO through community provides the mine with valuable insight be necessary to facilitate interactions
engagement strategies. Disallowing on how they are perceived and where between the community and the big
mining communities from shaping improvements are required. mining companies and the collaborative
developments in their areas is often effort as espoused in the SLO produces
attributed to the absence of an SLO. In terms of an upcoming planned indicators for measuring various agreed
expansion, Dr Matshediso said Morupule outcomes.
The Namibian Government Coal Mine will see the development of
encourages the mining industry to an open cast mine in the lease area,
address socialresponsibilities through so this requires resettlement and
support programmes, training and compensation of affected farmers. A few
In Botswana. The law
community participation. This is impacts will arise from the resettlement only requires that mining
companies conduct
then achieved through interaction which are; physical displacement and necessary Environmental
Dr. Bonny Ignatius Matshediso between government, industry and the contingent impacts and potential loss Impact Assessment before
commencing on their
of livelihood. To date the resettlement
Director of Morupule Coal Mine communities within set up guidelines process has followed the government’s operations, and that those that
for social upliftment.
do have an SLO do
requirements specifically in relation VOLUNTARILY
The Director went on to elaborate on to evaluation of improvements to the
how Morupule Coal Mine has adopted land and compensation for these. In
www.engineermagazine.co.bw Issue 23 - Aug/Sept 2019