03 Dec 2025

Demand for sand continues to increase as the country’s developments steadily grow through construction of new infrastructure, making it an important commodity in the economic development of Botswana’s construction industry.

Responding on behalf of the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo, Assistant Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Keoagile Atamelang said that with the limited sand resources in the Southern part of the country, sand mining activities in the greater Gaborone were suspended due to the state of degradation in the river systems.

He explained that the river systems were damaged due to excessive sand mining and other uses of the river systems such water abstraction, especially for agricultural use, got affected.

Mr Atamelang stated that during the past rainy season, communities were impacted due to excessive sand mining.

Her further highlighted that the ministry was aware that natural resources particularly sand, were being illegally mined or extracted, and the ministry continued to engage with other stakeholders to combat such acts that were savaging the Greater Gaborone including Metsimotlhabe River.

Of recent, he said law enforcement organisations had strengthened their patrols along the affected areas and river system in an effort to combat illegal activities.

Mr Atlamelang explained that the amended Mines and Minerals Act included harsher punitive measures through revision of fines and giving more powers to authorised officers to confiscate, impound and dispose of equipment that was found and used to commit such illegal activities.

He said all government departments and ministries with authority over land or its use such as the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture (land boards and Department of Lands), Ministry of Environment and Tourism (Department of Environmental Protection), Botswana Police Service and dikgosi, should not allow illegal mining to be occurring on the land they had custody over.

Mr Atamelang said that all parties entrusted with the administration of land and the environment must not allow any of such activities to be happening on their land without their knowledge and authority.

He therefore, said the ministry minerals had intentions, funds permitting, to conduct studies along all major rivers in the country, to establish the extent of damage caused by excessive sand mining, in order to inform considerations for the proposed initiative, to allow for controlled and legal sand mining, strictly for use by young citizens in their personal or community projects.

Mmopane/ Metsimotlhabe MP, Ms Helen Manyeneng had asked if the minister was aware that natural resources, particularly sand, were being extracted from the Metsimotlhabe River and in the Mmopane/Metsimotlhabe area and if so, would the ministry consider putting in place clear regulations to allow for controlled legal sand mining. ENDS