10 Sep 2019

The drying up of water sources in Ngamiland has left many communities who depend on it for survival in a desperate situation.

Some practiced farming along the river, some made  a living out of mokoro excursions, some were into fishing while some used the water for domestic purposes. All them now find life difficult.

One of the fishermen, Mr Ototeng Dikgetsi, 48 of Maun expressed  his frustration in an interview.

He explained that he depended  on the Thamalakane River for his various business activities which included fishing, cutting grass and reeds for sale and now his business had completely collapsed because of lack of water.

“I started fishing at the age of fifteen because when I grew up. The river has been a source of livelihood for my family. Today we are stranded and life has become difficult as I cannot put bread on the table for my children,” he added.

Mr Dikgetsi said the situation was a natural disaster but stressed that the river was experiencing one of its worst dry spells in history and the last time the river dried was in 1993.

Prior to the drying of the river, he revealed that his fishing business was thriving as there was a lucrative market in towns, cities as well as locally.

He said he had been making better profits which enabled him and his family to lead dignified lives.

Mr Dikgetsi said  he was struggling to pay school fees for his four children. He is currently doing little fishing to provide for the family and sell to some individuals.

Asked what interventions could be put in place, he said  ‘we all saw this coming and all we have to do is to pray for the Lord’s intervention that it rains this year, otherwise we will perish of hunger.’

Mr Dikgetsi noted that the situation had not affected human beings only but animals had also been affected and proposed that as a temporary measure, the government could drill boreholes and pump water into some water sources for the survival of water species.

The boreholes, he said could also benefit residents to venture into irrigation for survival during difficult times.

Fishermen at Lake Ngami also decriedt the situation at the lake. Many stopped fishing as the bream type of fish had perished and only bubble fish was left struggling in the mud. Although, some had resorted to make a living by selling bubble fish there are fears that the mud would soon become completely dry.

One of the fishermen at the lake, Mr Dindere Yithiya explained that life was difficult as their source of income had dried up.

He said the lake was a major ‘employer’ in the district but its drying had brought sorrow to many. ENDS