24 Aug 2021

The ongoing wildfires in Letlhakeng area threatens lives of both humans and livestock.

Although by Sunday no livestock or wild animal had been killed in Ngware area, farmers faced a bleak future after much of the grazing land was destroyed. 

The fire covered a vast area that extended to Tsetseng and CKGR, among other areas. 

The headman of arbitration for Kgothang ward in Ngware, Mr Ontiretse Kgothang, said the fire seemed to have started along the fence that divided the grazing areas.

He said the fire must have broken out on Saturday because he received the report on the afternoon.

However, lack of vehicles affected villagers’ desire to put off the fire.

The village leader said the division of grazing areas was meant to reserve one area for later use, adding that unless it rained soon, they faced a bleak future due to unavailability of pastures for their livestock.

Mr Kgothang said it was fortunate for the fire to have spared the poles used to fence the grazing areas.

He, however, said he was concerned that few people turned out to fight the fires.

For his part, Sergeant Daniel Segare of Ngware police said lack of vehicles hampered their efforts.

He cautioned the residents that refusal to extinguish wildfires was a criminal offence for which a person could be sentenced to either three months imprisonment or lashes.

Sergeant Segare said they were still to investigate the cause of the fire and its impact.

At the time BOPA visited the site on Sunday afternoon, patches of fire were still breaking out, few kilometers from Ngware along the gravel road to Botlhapatlou.

People used fire beaters and tree branches to put out the fire, which covered a huge area. Ends