Debswana Mining Company is expected to bid farewell to its former Managing Director, Jim Gowans, in Gaborone this coming week.
Gowans, whose contract ended in December last year, has been replaced by former Jwaneng Mine General Manager, Balisi Bonyongo.
Bonyongo, who until late last year was the Chief Operational Officer (COO) for the Debswana Group, was transferred from the Jwaneng mine to Debswana Corporate Centre in Gaborone after a fatal accident that happened at the Jwaneng mine in 2012.
He was then appointed to his immediate past position as COO of the group. A report detailing the circumstances that led to the fatal accident that hugely affected Debswana’s yearly production was never made public.
Chairman of the Debswana board, Eric Molale, confirmed that Bonyongo will take the reign from Gowans who was appointed as Managing Director on 1st January 2011.
Among Gowans’ three year contract mandate was to optimise and position Debswana’s operations for continued profitability and growth. His contract came to an end this past December according to Molale, who is also Permanent Secretary to the President.
Gowans’ successor, Bonyongo, has worked for Debswana for 20 years in various professional and leadership capacities, including Commissioning Manager of the Aquarium Project at Jwaneng Mine, Corporate Strategy Manager at Debswana Head Office and Jwaneng Mine General Manager. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) degree from Leeds University, as well as a Master of Business Administration from the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town.
“The board acknowledges the significant progress accomplished by Mr Gowans to improve the Company’s operational performance and skills capacity during his tenure. This has placed Debswana in a strong position from which to implement its Long-Term Resource Development Plan, which has been recently finalised and approved by the Board,” Molale said.
