Illegal gold mining takes new twist

Speaking during a community meeting addressed by Member of Parliament for Tati East, Dr Douglas Letsholathebe on Thursday, Moipolai revealed that illegal gold miners have now shifted from disused gold mines to ploughing fields for their activities. The situation, he warned, has spiralled out of control, with groups of up to 50 illegal miners operating at once, posing a severe safety risk. “This is very dangerous because such large numbers of people are capable of killing in pursuit of gold,” he bemoaned.

In response, Letsholathebe acknowledged the seriousness of the illegal gold mining problem in Matsiloje and neighbouring regions. He also noted that authorities were grappling with the issue of illegal border crossings between Botswana and Zimbabwe, which is closely connected to illegal gold mining activities.