AfriSam Lesotho yesterday announced a landmark partnership deal with a local company, Cement Industries Limited,
towards the construction of Lesotho’s first cement factory.
The plant, which would be situated on AfriSam’s Lesotho distribution centre in Maseru, is meant to provide all the country’s cement needs, with a capacity to blend and pack 200 000 tonnes of the building material per annum.
The facility is scheduled to start operations by the third quarter of 2016.
Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing, who was the special guest during the factory’s sod-turning ceremony, said it would positively affect many sectors of the economy through employment and business creation.
He said the rights of investors were respected and protected by laws in Lesotho.
“May I also take this opportunity to reassure all foreign investors already operating in Lesotho and prospective ones, that this government is not about to expropriate their investments in the name of localisation,” he said.
“I also wish to appeal to our industrialists to work with us in ensuring that local entrepreneurs have a meaningful role to play. Among the ways in which this can become a reality is to ensure that all support services, wherever possible, are produced locally.
Metsing said the government places a high priority on maintaining stable industrial harmony.
AfriSam CEO Stephan Olivier said the factory’s production capacity could be increased if the demand for cement increased in Lesotho.
He said AfriSam products had been at the centre of many large-scale construction projects in Lesotho.
AfriSam Country Manager Thato Tšuene said that the factory would import semi-processed raw materials and fully process and pack them for the Lesotho market.
Trade and Industry Minister Joshua Setipa said: “Our role is to attract investment into the country to ensure economic development. We are happy to welcome yet more investment into the country with this plant.”
