The Botswana Mine Workers Union continues to exert its influence on international platforms, ensuring the voice of Botswana Mine Workers Union is heard in global discussions. In early February 2025, BMWU Executive Secretary Cde. Kitso Phiri delivered a compelling address at the prestigious Mining Indaba in South Africa, a pivotal event for the global mining community.

Cde. Phiri’s presentation, titled “For the people and prosperity – making beneficiation work for all,” directly tackled a core concern of the BMWU: the equitable distribution of mineral wealth. He boldly stated that “Mineral beneficiation policies are only visible at the national level and not at the grassroots workplace and community level.” This pointed critique highlighted the union’s view that despite Botswana’s well-crafted national policies, the tangible benefits of mineral wealth often fail to reach the ordinary workers and communities at the source of extraction.

To address this critical gap, Cde. Phiri specifically put forth the BMWU’s proposal for “initiatives such as Employee Share Ownership Programmes (ESOPs) to enable workers to have a share of the mines through trusts.” This innovative approach aims to give workers a direct stake in the industry’s success, transforming them from mere employees into genuine partners in economic growth. While acknowledging that “industry and government has been averse to exploring this option,” Phiri’s advocacy underscores the union’s progressive thinking and its determination to push for transformative economic empowerment. His resolute conclusion emphasized that for beneficiation to truly succeed in Botswana, its benefits “should trickle down to communities and workers.”