Safety is a key theme for Electra Mining Botswana – Botswana’s largest mining, industrial and power generation expo – this year, hence its co-locating with the new occupational health and safety trade show – the Africa Occupational Safety and Health (A-OSH) Expo Botswana.

With Botswana’s growing workforce comes a growing need for occupational safety and health awareness and implementation, says exhibition management company Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery mining and industrial portfolio director Charlene Hefer.

“It is becoming increasingly important for companies to ensure the uncompromised health, safety and wellbeing of employees in the workplace for economic reasons, as well as to promote good company values.”

Bringing together all aspects of occupational safety and health concerns in the workplace, A-OSH Expo Botswana is an “exciting platform” for knowledge exchange and relationship building, says Hefer, adding that it will showcase the latest products, technologies and services across the sector, as well as the latest trends in health and safety training.

Both events – to be held at the Gaborone fairgrounds from September 10 to 12 – will provide an opportunity for local and international exhibitors, industry associations, government officials and industry professionals to connect.

Electra Mining Botswana will showcase the latest technologies, machinery, products and solutions associated with mining, the industrial sector and power generation.

“Through various conversations with the mines and related industries in Botswana, as well as with government and local associations, we recognised the need to further promote safety and health in the country. A focused show co-located within Electra Mining Botswana was an ideal vehicle,” Hefer tells Mining Weekly.

Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery – which has extensive experience through its having organised nine occupational health and safety trade shows in South Africa – and business development company TRM Group are organising both the events.

TRM is a wholly Botswana citizen-owned company whose core focus is on promoting a safer, healthier and environment-friendly workplace while promoting health and safety awareness to the country.

Further, with mining a large contributor to the Botswana economy, mining equipment, services and consulting are subsector prospects to the country’s mining sector, says Hefer.

“Electra Mining Botswana, therefore, plays an important role in providing a platform where major players in this sector can meet the buyers and the sellers.”

Electra Impact

Hefer highlights that the benefits of Electra Mining Botswana extend beyond exhibitors and visitors, as the event “will contribute about P8-million to the national economy, either directly or indirectly”.

This will be achieved through venue expenses, expenditure on products and services, advertising and promotion, logistics, travel, accommodation, meals and drinks, exhibitor spend, and the additional local spend of visitors and exhibitors while at the trade show, Hefer explains.

She adds that the exhibition also contributes to part-time job creation during the show and add-on tourism: “It is estimated that every P1 spent on exhibiting brings in P7”.

Meanwhile, Hefer notes that the combined expertise of the organisers of the show sets this show apart from others.

Electra Mining Botswana is supported by the Botswana government and industry organisations such as the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security; the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry; the Ministry of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development – which falls under the Department of Occupational Health and Safety; the Botswana Chamber of Mines; the Botswana Institution of Engineers; Business Botswana; Mining Equipment Manufacturers of South Africa; and the South African Capital Equipment Export Council.

Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery expects that all stakeholders involved in the expo will not only benefit from the event but also continue to build partnerships between industry and government, suppliers and buyers, and suppliers and manufacturers and potential local partners or distributors, Hefer concludes.