Soldiers could join war against illegal sand miners

Sources in Gaborone say if the request from the affected villages gets government approval, the soldiers will be posted at the Kumakwane and Ditlhakane farmlands to repel the illegal diggers who are motivated by the high demand for river sand. Kgosi Opelo Kgabo of Kumakwane confirmed in an interview that during a recent Kgotla meeting, they requested the relevant ministries that soldiers should be roped in to reinforce the police teams that patrol the areas.

"We are not saying the police are not doing a good job but we believe that they do not have enough resources to handle the situation, which is why we have pleaded with the authorities to bring in soldiers," he said.He added that the pits left by illicit sand miners were dangerous to both people and livestock.