10 Mar 2026

Kgosi Malepa Orekeng of Ntlhantlhe has warned community members about the serious dangers posed by illegal sand miners in the village, many of whom carry arms and operate aggressively.

Speaking in an interview during a recent taking services to the people event hosted by Moshupa District Council in Ntlhantlhe, Kgosi Orekeng advised residents to never confront these operators directly. He stressed that anyone encountering illegal sand mining activities should report them immediately to the police for safe handling.

Kgosi Orekeng identified illegal sand mining as one of the persistent criminal issues affecting the village. He explained that Ntlhantlhe was historically rich in sand resources, which played a key role in retaining water for the community. 

In the late 1990s, the village imposed strict regulations to preserve this resource, allowing only residents to collect sand manually using wheelbarrows for personal building purposes while banning larger-scale operations involving tipper trucks or other heavy vehicles.

Despite these longstanding rules, Kgosi Orekeng reported a sharp rise in illegal sand loading operations involving trucks, particularly across the Molopye River, reaching unprecedented levels in recent times.

To address the ongoing problem, the village depends on patrols by the Badisa-Kgomo cluster. However, the local police station remains under-resourced, lacking sufficient vehicles and facing other operational challenges that hinder effective monitoring and patrols along the Molopye River, the main hotspot for these activities.

Kgosi Orekeng appealed to the government to undertake thorough surveillance in the village to properly assess the scale of illegal sand mining and identify effective, targeted interventions to stop its expansion across the settlement.

He noted that the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) previously deployed troops from the Glen Valley Garrison for patrols, but this approach proved ineffective. Perpetrators would simply resume operations once the soldiers returned to their camp, highlighting the need for a more permanent presence.

Kgosi Orekeng advocated for the establishment of a continuous, dedicated special operation by the government to ensure round-the-clock patrolling and sustained deterrence against illegal mining.

Chairperson of Badisa-Kgomo, Mr Thapelo Radimo, echoed concerns about the issue, describing the illegal sand mining in the region as deeply disheartening. He pointed out that if managed properly through the Village Development Committee (VDC), the village could turn this resource into a legitimate economic opportunity by strategically investing in controlled sand sales, generating greater returns for the community.

Illegal sand extraction continues to pose significant environmental risks, including reduced water retention in rivers, ecosystem damage, and threats to community safety across parts of Botswana. Authorities and local leaders are calling for stronger, sustained action to protect these vital natural assets while exploring sustainable development alternatives. BOPA