Drought 2019: Two-thirds of crops wilt, livestock fatalities rise
Friday, April 05, 2019

Cattle have begun dying in parts of the country PIC: FILE PIC
“Go maswe bagaetsho.”
Agriculture minister, Patrick Ralotsia, who is also a prominent farmer with 300 hectares in the Kanye area, appears to be running out of adjectives to describe the latest cropping season disaster.
Instead, it has sparked a storm of accusations, denials, and unresolved questions about the influence of De Beers on the nation’s politics. Former president Mokgweetsi Masisi’s claims that the diamond giants bankrolled his removal to dodge taxes – and that the new Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) government watered down a favourable diamond deal – are explosive matters. But without evidence, they risk becoming a toxic distraction from...