Makwinja appointed Botswana Railways CEO
Brian Benza | Thursday June 15, 2017 18:00
The Minister of Transport and Communications, Kitso Mokaila announced the appointment this week saying Makwinja will start work on July 1, on a three-year contract.
“He (Makwinja) was the successful candidate from the shortlisted people. He will be charged with turning around the loss making parastatal while together with the board, they will prepare the organisation for privatisation,” said Mokaila.
The BR CEO position fell vacant early this year after Dominic Ntwaagae resigned from the post. A total of 18 people applied for the job, from which six were shortlisted. A veteran administrator, Makwinja is a former chairman of BTCL and also sat on various companies’ boards such as BancABC. It was also under his stewardship that BTCL introduced its mobile wing beMOBILE in 2008, before driving the asset separation and privatisation of BTCL.
Currently a board member of Engen, Makwinja’s career in the management field spans over 18 years, including time as the general manager of Orapa and Letlhakane Mines.
He holds a Master of Science Degree in Industrial and Administration Sciences from City University, UK, and a Bachelor of Science in Mineral Exploration (Honours) from the University of Cardiff, UK.
Makwinja takes over a parastatal that has been hounded by controversies in the past few years including a corruption case that was investigated by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime.
The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Kabelo Ebineng recently told the Public accounts Committee that BR has not provided audited books for the past three financial years.
Apart from the reintroduced passenger train services, BR also owns property subsidiary BR Properties, SeaRail and Gabcon.
Mokaila revealed that BR and South Africa’s Transnet were in the middle of discussions to set up a rail link between the Mmamabula coalfields and South Africa.