The Kalahari Copperbelt's electrifying new
Friday, April 23, 2021
Sixty years after explorers first noted the “quartz veins rich in copper, silver and lead” in what was then referred to as ‘North Ghanziland’, the Kalahari Copperbelt appears to have lined up all the variables needed for the sustainable unlocking of its secrets.
The 1,000-kilometre stretch of mineral riches running south-west to north-east has been difficult to sustainably extract value from due to, amongst other factors, the remoteness of the area and the subsequent unavailability of key inputs such as power.
While it is widely acknowledged that Khama holds the title of Kgosi, the government’s failure to properly gazette his recognition has raised serious concerns about adherence to legal procedures and the credibility of traditional leadership. (See a story elsewhere in this newspaper.) Recent court documents by the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Kgotla Autlwetse, shed light on the intricacies of Khama’s recognition process....