14 Oct 2013

Raging veldt fires in the Okavango Sub-district are a threat to Tsodilo hills and Qwihaba caves.

Speaking in an interview, assistant district commissioner, Mr Thabang Dikatlholo said fires started in Tsodilo village but, they were able to control them. He noted that more veldt fires were reported at Xamesha cattle crush, about seven kilometres from the Tsodilo hills.

Mr Dikatlholo said a team was arranged and they managed to stop the fires but, yet another one started in the area towards the village of Chukumuchu. He said they were doing everything they could to prevent its spread to Tsodilo hills as this would mean that the fire would ravage the rock paintings, archaeological sites and other aspects of the hills.

Furthermore, Mr Dikatlholo said the hills were significant because they generated a lot of revenue through tourism. He also noted that smoke from past veldt fires had affected the rock paintings.

To fight the veldt fires, he said, they organised three trucks from government departments, one to Tsodilo, the other to Qwhihaba and one extra. He said at the moment, Ipelegeng workers were the ones who were rendering assistance in fighting the fires..

Mr Dikatlholo said the veldt fires had not yet reached people’s homes. He however indicated that the affected areas were too bushy and sometimes it was not easy to control the fires.

One of the people who went to help put off the fire at the Xamesha cattle rush, Mr Nxao Xhao, who is from Tsodilo village said in an interview that they were about 16 in number and they managed to stop the fire, which he suspected must have started in Gumare. The veldt fires, which started last month, have been reported in Ikoga, Nokaneng and Gumare. Ends