12 Dec 2022

Mahalapye West Member of Parliament Mr David Tshere on Friday called on Parliament to request government to put a moratorium on all licenses for river sand mining along Mahalapye River and all smaller rivers in the Mahalapye Sub-district.

Mr Tshere said he and the community were concerned about large scale licensed sand mining, which was causing land degradation along the Mahalapye River and its smaller tributaries.

He said where the Mahalapye River crosses the A1 road in the village it becomes split in a northwesterly direction due to excessive sand mining.

Mr Tshere called for the ministries of environment and tourism as well as minerals and energy to undertake research on the extent of the damage done through sand mining on the Mahalapye River and fund its rehabilitation.

Responding, the Minister of Minerals and Energy Mr Lefoko Moagi said resources such as river sand were meant to benefit the nation as a whole, not the immediate community only.

Mr Moagi said government consulted the Mahalapye community and a decision was taken to release seven licenses for quarries for manufactured sand to be developed; two at Kalamare and others at Lose, Shoshong and Tewane in order to aid in construction countrywide.

But this development of manufactured sand alternative had not been successful, as such a cessation of sand river mining would not be feasible as it would affect the construction industry, Mr Moagi said.

He said government understood concerns that Mr Tshere raised, but a long term practical solution needed to be sought, particularly the development of manufactured sand in quarries and research countrywide by the Botswana Geoscience Institute on alternatives.

Mr Moagi expressed a need for dialogue with communities, including the tribal leadership, village development committees, and farmers’ committees along river sand bases countywide to address the issue.

For his part, Minister of Transport and Communications, Good Hope/Mabule Member of Parliament, Mr Eric Molale said there was a need for better management of communal resources and a reform of the law to allow for better monitoring and penalties for those with concessions when they disregard instructions.

Mahalapye East Member of Parliament, Mr Yandani Boko said people in the Mahalapye Sub-district consistently voiced their concern that their health and that of their livestock was compromised by the steep sand river mining and dust raised by the large trucks involved.

Thamaga/Kumakwane legislator, Mr Palelo Motaosane called for better management of sand river mining since those with licenses seemed to be abusing their permits by digging deeper into the river sand base, a concern he said his constituency shared.

Mr Motaosane said even illegal immigrants were involved in sand river mining.

He, therefore, called for village development committees and community trusts to be engaged to assist in managing sand river mining.

Parliament will vote to take a decision when the debate on the motion resumes on Friday. ENDS