Botsino Cement the pride of Mahalapye
Botsino, a cement manufacturing company based in Lose near Mahalapye, is struggling to scale up production due to limited access to key raw materials within Botswana.
The company relies on three main inputs: limestone or clinker, gypsum, and fly ash. While fly ash is readily available in abundance from Morupule A and B power plants, limestone, clinker, and gypsum must all be imported from South Africa and Namibia.
This dependency on imports has left the company exposed to high upfront costs. Judith Nomvuyo Jongman confirmed to Botswana Guardian that their biggest challenge is sourcing raw materials from outside the country.
'We always need working capital ready to pay on delivery, and when we don’t have enough cash available, production grinds to a halt”. Botsino is one of the few locally owned and self-financed ventures in the cement industry. Established with personal funds, the company has steadily built a reputation for producing quality cement. Its efforts were recently recognised at the Consumer Fair, where it walked away with a prize.
Jongman noted that new doors may be opening. “As recently as two months ago, after we exhibited in Mahalapye, LEA approached us and offered to connect us with financial institutions to explore funding opportunities. That is why we are here at the fair—thanks to LEA’s invitation,” she explained.
For now, however, Botsino’s growth remains tied to its ability to secure reliable funding and overcome the challenges of sourcing vital raw materials from beyond Botswana’s borders. Despite the challenges, Botsino sees encouraging signs for growth.
According to Jongman, demand for their products remains strong across the Central District, particularly in Mahalapye, Shoshong, the Tswapong area, Palapye, and Serowe, where local hardware stores are among their key clients.
She noted that government departments have also been supportive, with Botsino supplying cement for major projects such as the Northern Water Carrier pipeline, Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) houses in Gerald Estates in Francistown and Palapye, as well as the construction of several police stations.
“Our cement is used by both contractors and individual customers. We compete with established local producers, but we welcome the government’s decision to restrict cement imports, as it gives us a chance to grow our market share and expand production,” she said.
Jongman added that consumers have embraced Botsino’s product, especially during the Consumer Fair, where its distinct charcoal colour has drawn attention. The shade comes from fly ash sourced at Morupule power stations, which gives the cement a unique appearance.
The company’s journey began in 2017 when its director, previously in the stationery supply business in Mahalapye, identified a gap in the market.
“We realized that despite high demand for cement, especially for roadworks and other infrastructure projects, there was no local producer in our area. That’s what motivated us to start,” Jongman explained.
Like many businesses, Botsino temporarily closed operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the company runs a single shift with 10 employees, each expected to produce 10 pallets of cement per day. Each pallet contains 50 bags, bringing daily output to about 50 pallets.
“At the moment, low demand restricts us from producing more,” she said.
However, Botsino is optimistic about the future. “We now employ 50 workers and have advanced plans to expand to three shifts per day, with 50 employees per shift.
That will require hiring an additional 100 people, which will not only boost our production but also create much-needed jobs,” Jongman revealed.