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16 Jun 2022

 The pristine Boro 2 Mokoro station has been restored to its former glory, following the long anticipated  Boro River flood inflow Monday morning. 

Dryness and desolation are things of the past for the vibrant Boro 2 station, which is commonly referred to as DRC. 

Boro River is one of the breakaway tributaries from the Okavango Panhandle; the main water course supply for the Okavango Delta, from the Angolan Highlands. 

The Boro 2 station is popular due to its proximity to Maun, sitting just 15km away and is easily accessible by road, unlike other stations that require the use of an off-road vehicle or a boat. 

As of Wednesday morning, water from Boro River was reported to be less than eight kilometres from where it links up with Gomoti River, which feeds from the Shorobe channel. 

Due to an inflow from Gomoti River, feeding into Thamalakane River over the past few weeks, people of Maun will not be able to witness first water flow (loleme) from Boro River, because Thamalakane River already has water. 

The inflow into the Boro River revives the dreams of many people, who rely on it to make ends meet through fishing, boat and mokoro rides, as well as farming. 

These dreams were dealt a blow in December, when the river dried up, but now hope reigns, as the long awaited inflow has finally made an appearance. 

People are delightfully picking up where they left off and the area is now abuzz with activity. 

The river is not only a cradle for people, but also a source of life for livestock and habitat (fauna and flora). 

It is indeed a sight to behold as Boro cattle rush into the new waters, to not only take that long longed for leisurely bath, but to quench their thirst. 

A herd of elephants is also spotted freshening up and basking in the splendour that the new water brings on the other side of the buffalo fence. 

Speaking at the floods welcome ceremony, a day after the inflow, a jubilant Garebatshole Sebe, a fisherman of note, expressed joy over the inflow, noting that his business would be restored. 

Mr Sebe highlighted that when the river dried up, he caught bubble fish as it was the only breed that could survive in small ponds. 

He indicated that during peak season, when the river was full, he netted bream and tiger fish, which were in high demand. 

Born and bred in Xhaxhaba, Mr Sebe said he relocated to Boro, after realising that the DRC station was very popular. 

He highlighted that he capitalised on his paddling skills by incorporating mokoro rides into his fishing business. 

Having been paddling mokoro since 1971, he indicated that he had amassed sharp poling acumen that propelled him to become a hauling professional. 

“It takes four days for people to paddle a mokoro from Boro to Xhaxhaba, but for me it’s just two days with a full load of people’s goods,” he boasted. 

A mokoro poler, Mr Galebuse Sekonga said he was expecting tourists to visit the Boro station for mokoro rides.  ENDS