15 Sep 2024

Illegal sand mining and its negative outcomes have for years been a thorn in the flesh for many localities, causing disillusionment at the apparent incapacity of law enforcement agencies to address the ages-old problem.

Communities have often watched helplessly as sand ‘thieves’ wreaked havoc in rivers and streams, turning into something unrecognisable the previously pristine and unscathed natural resources.

Seeming to often elude the long arm of the law, perpetrators not only disenfranchise communities of the rewards they could possibly reap from the precious resource, but at times threaten the very safety of residents as they threaten to attack whoever would dare confront them for their glaring disrespect for both the law and the locals.

While the bulk of places with access to rivers and streams continue to cry their voices hoarse over the issue, Manyana is clearly singing from a different hymn book, with the village waiting in readiness to use the sand from the local stream in the impending Moshupa-Manyana road project.

Having previously tested the arrangement with much success, the local Village Development Committee (VDC) is poised to give it a go for the second time. 

“In 2008 when we constructed this bridge (over Kolobeng River), the contractor shared his desire to procure raw materials locally and the VDC that was in office at the time sought a sand mining plot,” shared additional member in the current VDC, Mr Kerapetse Oageng. 

“They were allocated the plot, and the Department of Mines issued them a permit which resulted in the contractor sourcing sand for the project locally,” he explained. The arrangement paid off handsomely for the local community.

When the project got completed, the contractor handed to the village a compound with a five-room office block from which the VDC is running its operations, and also generating some income through rental collections as it has rented out two of the offices.

Spurred on by the outcome of the arrangement with the bridge contractor, the VDC is ready to court whoever will be tasked with the construction of the Moshupa-Manyana road project, the intention being to position the village to reap some benefits from the possible marriage of convenience.

“We are desirous of many things. We want modern and trendy offices capable of catching the eye of potential tenants; we also have houses that badly need some maintenance works,” Mr Oageng said.

“There is also a service centre in the village, and though it is yet to be operational, there is going to be need for accommodation for officers who will be manning it, and as the VDC we want to be able to provide housing units for staff when the time comes,” he said as he laid bare some of the benefits that they aspire to draw from their relationship with the road project contractor.

VDC vice chairperson, Ms Kebitsemang Mokotedi is similarly optimistic that the new project will leave a permanent imprint in the village by leaving behind something that could contribute to community empowerment, the same way as it happened in the past.

Like Mr Oageng, Ms Mokotedi would be grateful for the sort of benefits that would have enduring returns for the people of Manyana and cannot help but look forward to an enriching relationship with the road project contractor.

Having been particularly impressed with the previous contractor for having left the sand mining plot in a good state at the end of the project, she expects the same with regards to the looming project and is content that the community will keep its end of the bargain by supporting and cooperating with the contractor for a mutually beneficial outcome.

“Ka tsamaiso go tshwanetse gore fa tiro e wela re bo re boela kwa setsheng go ya go sekaseka gore a mme ga re a fatlha tikologo, gore a ga re a e senyetsa bontle jwa yone. Kana re a itse gore tikologo e tshwanetse e nne e le phepa, mme fa tiro e wetse re tlamega go bona gore tikologo e busediwa mo seemong sa yone sa pele,” she said as she highlighted the importance of rehabilitating the portion from which the sand would have been mined, that being for purposes of environmental preservation.

The vice chairperson also proudly basks in the glory of the good stewardship that the Manyana community exercises over its environment and the natural resources found in it and finds it heart-warming that residents take personal responsibility for it at individual level.

Ms Mokotedi prays that their village never gets to experience illegal mining of sand, an evil that repeatedly rears its ugly head, giving many of Botswana’s communities incessant headaches.

She equally prays for a day when the law will prevail over sand ‘looters,’ thus permanently ridding all communities with rivers of unwarranted torture; she prays for a day when such communities will see their rivers and streams once again clad in their natural beauty, their intricate splendor having been painstakingly restored through rehabilitation. Ends