He said his office is not consulted by prospectors, though he may receive savingrams from the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Affairs (MMERWA) about prospecting activities. “We often receive savingrams from MMERWA informing us of the activities. It would be just to note and file the correspondences,” said Letina. He said that unless there is an instruction from the ministry to facilitate consultation with the communities, then his hands are tied. He said sometimes, the savingrams only entail who has been awarded the licence to prospect and nothing else. He said his officers have never been invited to attend meetings convened by prospecting companies in the district. “These people never invite us to their meetings not even the leadership of the district,” he said.
Kgalagadi residents have complained that they are never consulted by government or mining companies over prospecting activities in the district. However, the Director of Mines, Gabotshwarege Tshekiso has said there is no requirement for consultation with the people or the landboard before licences for exploration are issued. “However, expectations in terms of good practice are that the holders of prospecting licences consult with owners of properties upon which they are going to conduct prospecting activities,” he explained. He said that prospecting licence holders are expected to hire locally as much as possible. Efforts to get a comment from the Kgalagadi Landboard proved futile as officials were said to be held up in meetings.
