01 May 2018

Regional principal officer at Botswana National Museum in Francistown, Milton Tapela has apologised to residents of Gerald estates in Francistown for the lack of consultation when columnar joints were taken from their area to be used in projects around the country.

Residents of Gerald Estates together with their area councillor, Cornelius Gopolang were displeased at the manner in which columnar joints discovered within Gerald Estates were being used across the country without their knowledge.

The unique rocks are the first to be discovered in Botswana and were discovered during construction of BHC houses in 2010.

Tapela explained that from 2013 to date, no rocks have been mined in the area, adding that rocks that had been used at the Tropic of Capricorn, Francistown airport, Gaborone airport and Shashe Dam were dug up during construction and left at the site.

He further noted that since the rocks were just left there, there was a need to utilise them accordingly, hence they were used to decorate different places in the country.

He however admitted that consultation with the community of Gerald Estates should have been done prior to the rocks being taken.

A resident of Gerald Estate, Baganne Magosi asked how the rocks would benefit the residents of Gerald and what they would get in return since their rocks had already been used in some parts of the country.

He further asked Tapela what had been done to ensure that the world knows about the Gerald Estates columnar joints.

In response, Tapela explained that residents needed to know that minerals mined in one part of the country did not mean they belong to that particular area alone, but to the whole country and as such were used to benefit the nation. 

One of the residents Gilbert Boikhutso stated that the rare rocks should benefit the residents of Gerald Estates first.

He further advised that there should be signs in Francistown and outside to show tourists that there are monuments in the area that are worth seeing.

Another resident, Batisani Nchenje advised residents and museum officials to take initiative to ensure that the Gerald Estates columnar joints area is cleared and cleaned to make it more attractive for tourists.

He noted that it was an embarrassment that the area looked deserted, whereas its products were being used in prestigious places. ENDS