27 Mar 2025

Government has stopped granting mineral concessions along the Mahalapye River to conduct a study determining the extent of impact caused by sand mining. Responding to a question in Parliament on Tuesday, Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo said the state of excessive mining of sand along the river was due to increased demand for sand, especially from the greater Gaborone area. She said they were expecting the study to be completed before end of this month, which would guide on how best to manage sand mining in the area and elsewhere.

Ms Kenewendo said her ministry was not aware of the development activities in the areas where villages benefitted due to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). She said where there were mining activities undertaken by large companies, such companies often have CSR from which the communities benefitted. The minister said the stopping of mining concession was also meant to make the river recover from impact caused by excessive mining. Shoshong MP, Mr Moneedi Bagaisamang had asked the minister if she was aware of the state of the Mahalapye River with regards to excessive sand mining and if she had any plans to develop a model that would benefit the villages along the river. ENDS