Matsitama�s mining miracle turns sour
Pini Bothoko | Friday April 22, 2016 10:08
MATSITAMA: The advent of Thakadu raised hopes in Matsitama and surrounding villages that perhaps things would turn out for the better. But the hope has literally fizzled out.
Matsitama is a remote village within the Central District where the majority of residents live in abject poverty with hopes that one day some miracle would help them fight their way out.
Botswana is a country built by the mining industry and the prospect of a mine in Matsitama in 2010, skyrocketed hopes for better opportunities in the village.
Besides employment, the mine quickly brought opportunities such as real estate rentals and retail. The workforce in the village became more cosmopolitan and enjoyed a higher purchasing power.
However, Thakadu’s developer, African Copper, shut down the operation last May, saying the mine was nearing the end of its scheduled mine life and in order to confirm future grades, it would be necessary to conduct medium depth high resolution drilling.
“However, due to the short remaining mine life, a smaller mining footprint and the cost associated with such a drilling programme, the company has taken the decision to stop mining at the Thakadu pit,” African Copper said in a statement.
What remains today is a hopeless community counting its losses; a community counting missed opportunities and shattered dreams.
Matsitama’s Kgosi Reuben Kethobogile said they had high expectations of the mine, but were disappointed with the sudden turn of events.
Kethobogile said there was still a lot of expectation as thousands of youths from Matsitama looked up to the facility for employment.
He said unlike other areas that had once housed mine workers and benefited from them, Thakadu has had no effect on Matsitama. The village still looks the same and is now left with an open pit that is yet to be rehabilitated.
“That mine had raised our hopes. It employed a few of our children and we expected that the numbers would increase with time.
“Now, our children are back to hunting for jobs.
“The best thing that came out of the mine, was the renting of houses in the village for only a few lowly paid miners.”
Asked how many local villagers the mine employed, Kethobogile said he was aware of only a few. The rest of the workforce came from other places across the country.
The owner of Savemor Bar, a popular entertainment joint at Borolong village, Gregory Sekga, said Thakadu’s closure has affected his business.
Mineworkers living in the village were among his regular customers, but now sales have dropped.
“It was difficult to differentiate between mid-week and weekends when the mine was still functioning. The mineworkers frequented my place everyday,” said Sekga.
The Village Development Committee chairperson, Mengwe Mmereki shared Kethobogile’s sentiments saying the village did not benefit much from the mine.
“They assisted us with money to celebrate independence, but besides that, we do not have any tangible developments to show that we once owned a mine,” said Mmereki.
Mmereki said they had submitted a proposal to African Copper asking for funds to construct a Day Care Centre a long time ago, but the mine had failed to assist them.
The mine stopped operations leaving what could have otherwise become a major economic hub, a ghost village.
Borolong villagers have faces etched with frustration and disappointment. Many of them used up all their resources building houses for rent to mine employees and currently the houses are vacant.
Masego Bogatsu who rented out houses to mineworkers, said the closure of the mine affected them a lot because their houses are now vacant and the struggle is on to find tenants.
“We had six people occupying our houses and paying rentals very well, but now we find tenants who come and go without staying for a long time,” said Bogatsu.
For his part, Gwilidzani Mangondi said he expected a lot from the mine and had invested a lot in property, even building apartments. However, since Thakadu closed, he is struggling to find tenants.“I was touched by the sudden turn of events. I had planned to build other apartments looking at the demand for accommodation,” said the frustrated Mangondi.
Thakadu had also hired buses to ferry its workers to and from Borolong village and Francistown, but this has also gone up in smoke.