15 Sep 2024

In 2020, BOTASH adopted the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) initiative, a globally recognised sustainability programme to guide the company’s community relations initiative efforts, focusing on education, sports development, conservation and self-sustaining community projects.

To date, it has invested over P75.4m in community projects, with a strong commitment to foster self-sustaining initiatives through close collaboration with community stakeholders.

“In 2023, our sponsorship efforts were primarily directed towards education, addressing critical needs in schools, particularly challenges related to printing that impacted pupils’ learning experiences. 

We also continue to support Sua Flamingoes Football Club, which finished in the top 8 of the local premier league,” states a response to a questionnaire from Botswana Ash management.

The company also maintains a conservation park within its leased area, with a focus on preserving endangered species. Flamingo International School, which is owned, funded, and managed by Botash, provides access to quality education for children of the company’s employees.

 In the spirit of caring for and sharing, the service is extended to neighbouring communities.

Botswana Ash is owned by Government of Botswana and The Bud Group, a South African entity and each holds 50 per cent shareholding. 

Botswana Ash Limited, commonly known as BOTASH, began operations in April 1991 and is located in the Sua Pan, North-Eastern part of Botswana.

It is the largest producer of natural sodium products in Southern Africa, producing several variants of soda ash and salt. In the past, all activities of the mine were undertaken on the Sua Pan - from production through to marketing, sales, and administration. 

The response states that today, BOTASH has increased its footprint with fully operating offices in South Africa, dealing mostly with sales andw marketing of its products.

BOTASH production capacity for soda ash is 300 000 tonnes per annum, while salt is about 650 000 tonnes per annum. 

“Currently, our salt production is around 420 000 tonnes per annum and is limited by the market rather than production constraints,” states the response.

On sales, the response states that BOTASH predominantly distributes its products in Southern African countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and indeed Botswana and also extend to East Africa in Tanzania.

In the last five years Botash business managed to double its earnings between 2019 and 2023, by sustaining the top line while markedly optimising operational effectiveness. 

The company has also managed to build a unique performance focused culture that has enabled increased leadership accountability and collaboration, thus positioning the company for success long into the future.

 This was achieved despite world altering crises such as COVID-19 and the Ukraine war as well as energy and logistics crises in Southern Africa, says the response.

According to BOTASH, the mine is currently executing its five-year strategy, launched in 2023, and aimed at doubling earnings by 2027, same as the previous plan. 

“Similar to other mining entities, we are focusing on mineral beneficiation and investing significantly in research and development to explore areas of business expansion. 

So far, we have identified opportunities in beneficiating our salt business and we are working toward achieving this goal,” states the officials.

BOTASH staff compliment is 561, out of which 453 are full-time employees, 97 temporaries, 11 long-term contractors with 287 employees. 

The company has a 15.01 per cent permanent female staff contingent. Ends