The Selebi Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU) has set an ambitious target of creating 6,856 thousand jobs in the next 36 months. SPEDU is now under immense pressure to diversify the economy of Selebi Phikwe and surrounding villages after the closure of the BCL mine more than a year ago. The closure of the mine left more than 6 000 former miners unemployed which crippled the economy of the town. In an interview with The Patriot on Sunday, SPEDU Corporate Communications Manager, Sheillah Moribame said that they are currently involved in fifteen projects covering twelve citizen owned companies in Information Technology ,Services and manufacturing. Three are government projects and two foreign owned in agriculture sectors. Moribame noted that the total investment value from companies is estimated at P1.185 billion. “SPEDU has embarked on economic diversification in the region, in order to open up for more business investments. Our mandate is to diversify the economy by developing sectors that will contribute meaningfully to Gross Domestic Product,” said the optimistic Moribame. She noted that they believe that there is a plethora of untapped opportunities beyond mining and diamonds. To date SPEDU has managed to create 673 jobs against the target of 1150…