Mmegi

Botswana unearths rare track diamonds

The 4x400m gold medal winning team.PIC:EPA
The 4x400m gold medal winning team.PIC:EPA

Botswana has been heavily reliant on the sparkle of diamonds to power forward her economy, with the country’s success story reaching the global corridors. But in the middle of the captivating tale of how the natural stones have transformed the economic fortunes of a semi-arid Southern African nation, lies an even more enchanting account, capturing the rise of a sparsely populated nation to global sports stardom, writes MQONDISI DUBE

On the fringes of the vast Kalahari desert, which stretches more than 900,000 square kilometres across three countries, lies Botswana’s most valuable commodity: the sparkling diamond.

The diamonds have been the mainstay of the country’s economy, driving the nation’s prosperity since independence. Botswana is now the world’s largest producer of diamonds by value, a development credited with lifting the country from rags to riches.

Editor's Comment
Students wellbeing is a priority

The research presented at the recent Botswana Secondary School Teachers Union symposium should serve as a wake-up call to us all.We are so focused on coding, artificial intelligence, and the jobs of tomorrow that we are neglecting the basic safety and emotional well-being of the children sitting in our classrooms today.Statistics are deeply worrying. One study revealed that 34% of secondary school learners in Gaborone meet the criteria for a...

Have a Story? Send Us a tip
arrow up