The government has distanced itself from the delays over payment of outstanding (Ex-gratia/ Soft landing) benefits owed to former BCL and Tati Nickel Mine Workers. Last week Wednesday the Minister of State President Moeti Mohwasa and the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs Pius Mokgware met with the former mine workers at Civic Centre in Francistown to update them on their outstanding benefits and the prolonged liquidation process.
Located near Francistown, Tati Nickel Mining Company was liquidated in 2016 owing to a slump in commodity prices resulting in the loss of over 6000 alongside its parent company BCL Limited.
First to take to the podium during the meeting was Minister Mohwasa who told the former mining workers that the independent liquidator has full control and legal mandate over the liquidation proceedings adding that their hands are currently tied to interfere.
‘Up until the liquidation process is finalized, there is nothing that the government can do. At some point we tried to engage the liquidator on some of the issues, but he then released a report suggesting that there was political interference Government is committed to seeing your benefits being paid and we understand the hardships that you are going through. Government will ensure that you are paid your benefits once the liquidation process is completed,’ he said.
Mohwasa expressed his frustration over how the BCL and Tati Nickel Mining Company was closed under the past regime leading to the the adversaries that the former mine employees are going through.
On the other hand the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs Mokgware assured the clearly frustrated former mining employees that a new law on liquidation giving priorities to employees will begin in September 2026.
‘The new law will give priorities to employees during future liquidations above creditors unlike in the past. We fully understand what you are going through and we are committed to ensuring that you are paid your dues,’ he reiterated.
The former mine employees had expressed frustrations on what they deem as sluggishness on the part of government as the matter spans a decade. One of the former miners Kefilwe Gaofose accused the government of not giving the issue the urgency it deserves.
‘We are living in abject poverty. We have been given promises after promises but there is no progress. There is need for government to take this issue seriously. Some of the former mine employees are now deceased before being paid their dues,’ he said.
Another former mine employee Masego Lentetse questioned how the liquidator can have more powers than even the President of the country. He expressed uncertainty over the benefits being paid as the liquidator seems to be dragging his feet to finalize this issue which has been pending for 10 years. He also expressed worry that there is no timeline as to when they will be paid .
Botswana Miners Workers Union(BMWU) General Secretary Mbiganyi Gaekgotswe who was also present at the meeting also expressed his concerns suggesting that the government has the power to finalize this matter.
‘You are still waiting for the liquidator to wind up the whole process and this has taken too long. Our belief is that as government you have the powers to repeal provisions that give the liquidator too much powers. It has been ten years since the former mine workers lost their jobs and have been living in misery,’ he said.
However in conclusion the Ministers assured the former mine employees that government will ensure that they will be paid. They reiterated that they cannot by-pass the legal constraints they are currently facing giving hope that the new liquidation law address this challenge in the future.