Begging on streets of diamonds

JWANENG: Two years ago, Jwaneng Town Council found itself with an embarrassing problem. Multitudes of squatters were roaming the usually tidy town, setting up makeshift structures and scavenging for sustenance in malls, streets and homesteads.

Annually, hundreds of people make the pilgrimage to the mining town with hopes of securing employment at the mine or associated businesses but not everyone is lucky. Some opt not to return home, while others are unable to finance their return trips. Others still opt to stay and scrounge for piece jobs or the seasonal recruitment openings offered by the mine and its contractors.