The unsettling mystery of Hatsalatladi fissures

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday January 10, 2025 12:29

HATSALATLADI: The name Hatsalatladi also means “where lightning strikes,” and for decades, the village has experienced recurring and worsening ground cracks.

These cracks have caused widespread fear amongst the residents, who dread the possibility of the earth opening up and swallowing them, reminiscent of the Biblical times.

The damage caused is not limited to fear, it extends to homes and ploughing fields, disrupting lives and livelihoods. For outsiders, the situation may seem like a myth or an exaggerated tale but for the villagers, it is a harsh and persistent reality.

Some residents have resigned themselves to the recurring damage, believing it is an inevitable part of the rainy seasons. They no longer report the incidents, convinced that no help is forthcoming. They have literally surrendered to their fate.

However, others refuse to give up, driven by fear for their lives and a need for answers. When the Mmegi team visited the village kgotla on Wednesday, they witnessed villagers reporting cracked houses and inaccessible ploughing fields.

In an interview, Kgosi Sakie Gabanamotse shared that the cracks have existed for as long as he can remember. “We found the situation like this when we grew up. What is not clear is whether there was a river or something here before. No one is giving us answers,” he said. The cracks worsen during the rainy season, and sometimes they seem to disappear on their own.

Gabanamotse speculates that the village’s name, Hatsalatladi, may hold a clue to its history. He suspects that the area was not suitable for human habitation and that people should not have been allocated plots here. His concerns deepen as signs of cracks are now evident throughout the village, putting everyone’s safety at risk.



In 2022, hopes were raised when the Department of Geoscience conducted research in the area. However, the residents have yet to receive any feedback. Instead, the Kgosi and the community were shocked when the Land Board announced, without any formal written communication, that no new plots would be allocated in the area. The last allocations were made in 2012. Despite verbal warnings against building or developing properties, residents continue to build homes out of necessity, living with their children in unsafe conditions.

Gabanamotse further revealed that residents often hear the sound of an underground River flowing beneath their homes, particularly in bedrooms or sitting rooms. He said cracks affect all houses in the village, with some homes built as recently as last year already showing severe structural damages. Molepolole North MP, Arafat Khan, became aware of the cracks in Hatsalatadi last year during the election campaigns and decided to engage the experts. A few days ago, he received the news of more cracks. “I was outside the country, whereupon I then liaised with the constituency office to attend the issue with the area councillor,” said Khan. He further indicated that a delegation was sent there, yesterday when he arrived. “I met them for the feedback. I also received the report from the minister regarding the previous cracks and waiting for the latest report. I will be visiting the area today. We will also be addressing a Kgotla meeting tomorrow in Hatsalatadi with the area councillor about the issue! Ironically, while residents are urged not to build, he said the government continues with its developments in the area, adding to the community’s confusion and frustration.



Kgosi Gabanamotse believes the villagers will find peace of mind only if the situation is thoroughly explained to them.

Until then, residents of Hatsalatladi remain at risk, trapped in a cycle of fear, uncertainty, and deteriorating living conditions, he revealed.

Another resident, Kedibonye Keabilwe, shared her experience, explaining that the ground cracks began appearing in her yard around 2000. Over time, these cracks have also started to affect her house. “As you can see, all my houses have severe cracks. Consequently, I have decided to carry out maintenance after every rainy season. Nevertheless, we remain hopeful that one day things will improve. “Unfortunately, this is the only home we have, so there is nothing else we can do,” she declared frustratingly.

Similarly, Malebogo Galebangwato expressed her frustration with the situation. “I am still paying for my house through the Self-Help Housing Agency (SHHA), and I only received it last year. However, look at it now—it has cracks, and it looks far older than it should. Previously, the situation was even worse before we filled the surrounding cracks with sand, as water was seeping through the ground and causing significant damage. Furthermore, it’s difficult to fully explain these cracks because the water flow underneath makes it unclear how severe the issue is,” she bemoaned the situation. As a member of the Village Development Committee (VDC), Galebangwato is also aware of cases worse than hers. Therefore, she urged the government to consider relocating the residents if the situation does not improve. Unlike others who celebrate rainfall, she remarked: “For us, rain brings fear rather than joy.”

Just like Kgosi Gabanamotse, Galebangwato also believes that the release of the survey report could bring much-needed relief to residents or, at the very least, help them make informed and decisive decisions about their future. Moreover, she pointed out that one of the most distressing realities is that many plots are situated near streams, making them inaccessible during heavy rains.

Similarly, an elderly resident, Nkarabang Godisang, shared his concerns, noting that the issue has worsened over time. Initially, the cracks were confined to one side of the village, leading many to assume the problem was caused by the area’s proximity to the river. However, it has now become clear that the situation threatens the entire village.



“As a result, it is time for government officials to address residents on this matter. For years, we have been ignored, as though nothing is happening, and now the worsening situation demands urgent attention.

“Furthermore, I feel residents of this area are not being taken seriously. This lack of urgency is precisely why the previous government failed to provide any feedback on the survey. I doubt they would have treated a larger village in the same way,” he said. Godisang expressed his frustration, stating that he did not see the point in residents continually reporting cracks in their houses if they were not being compensated.

He further suggested that the government’s apparent lack of concern might stem from fear that residents could demand financial assistance.

Godisang noted that it would be deeply regrettable if the government only takes action after a disaster occurs, despite the situation having been reported numerous times.

“It would be sad if the government reacts only when something bad has already happened,” he said, emphasising the need for proactive intervention. Khan told Mmegi this week that he became aware of the cracks in Hatsalatadi last year during the campaigns and decided to engage the experts and a few days ago he received the news of more cracks.

According to a Botswana Geoscience Institute (BGI) report seen by Mmegi and dated April 2021, the cause of the earth fissures is unknown and yet to be estblished.