BPC, BR also made losses in Fengyue glass project
Baboki Kayawe | Thursday March 30, 2017 16:34
The Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) had invested P24.9 million in the construction of the sub-station at the defunct Fengyue Glass Manufacturing plant, Parliament heard on Tuesday.
Specially elected Parliamentarian, Mephato Reatile had inquired about the amount spent by Government on the construction of the power sub-station at the BDC plant.
In his response, the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Vincent Seretse stated that Botswana Railways has expended P26.7 million for the construction of the railway spur.
This information has never been shared with the public before.
In addition, the minister said since the property was sold to a citizen entity, Western Industrial Estate (Pty) Ltd, which is a subsidiary of the BDC, there was no need to comply with the statutory law provisions that prohibit the cession and transfer of tribal land to non-citizens.
“The entity that purchased the Fengyue land is a citizen entity known as Western Industrial Estate (Proprietary) Limited, a subsidiary of BDC,” said the minister.
According to the BDC website, Western Industrial Estate (Pty) Ltd is a 100% subsidiary of BDC whose primary mandate is to develop and manage industrial properties.
The company supports the growth in the industrial and manufacturing sectors in the economy by providing warehouses for their operations.
The company has warehouses in Gaborone, Lobatse, Ramotswa and Selebi-Phikwe.
The controversial BDC Palapye Fengyue glass project was liquidated four years ago even before it could produce the first piece of glass and the Government has given up chasing the Chinese investors who had partnered with BDC.
Over half a billion pula was lost in the project.