Premium Nickel Resources Botswana hosts Tsholofelo Carnival

Premium Nickel Resources Botswana (PNRB) – the new owners of the former BCL Limited mines – is exploring the linkages between culture and tourism in the Selibe Phikwe region through their flagship initiative dubbed, ‘Tsholofelo Project Carnival’.

They will be hosting an annual cultural and creative extravaganza, which will be celebrated in Selebi Phikwe as a Carnival from September 27th to the 1st of October 2022.

Giving a background of the initiative, PNRB Manager- Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Shamil Agosi lamented that the once vibrant tourism town of Selebi Phikwe was rendered lifeless by the closure of the mine and other legacy socio-economic challenges as people migrated to find jobs and start lives elsewhere.

She said that in their ES&G mandate PNRB’s strategy includes responsible corporate behaviour, adding that they are dedicated to a consistent presence within the Selebi Phikwe communities.

For these reasons, they are committing to “continually exploring and understanding” the challenges that the communities live with and exploring opportunities to co-create durable solutions with various community stakeholders.

The carnival, which will comprise a cultural and creative (Entrepreneurship, Sports, Arts & Culture) extravaganza - coincides with the official soft launch of PNR's Tsholofelo Project.

Agosi described it as a “memoir” for the hopes of socio-economic resuscitation and growth that PNR holds for the entire SPEDU region and by extension Botswana.

On the socio-economic level, the carnival is expected to generate business opportunities for among others, SMMES, tourism operators, songwriters, choreographers, costume builders and designers, and artists including makeup artists and sports persons.

Agosi added that their ambition as PNRB is to redevelop the best and most modern mines possible, advance their ESG mandate, alternative energy uses leading to less power usage, less water and promote environmental sustainability.