16 Feb 2025

Seven people have been killed and seven others injured due to attacks by dangerous wild animals in Ngami constituency in the last five years, Minister of Environment and Wildlife, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi has told Parliament.

Consequently, the minister noted that the ministry disbursed a once-off ex-gratia payment of P50 000 to the dependants of the deceased and P20 000 towards funeral expenses, as well as assistance with logistical arrangements for the funerals. 

Additionally, he noted those injured were provided with medical attention at government facilities, as well as transport and logistics where necessary.
In total, Mr Mmolotsi said a total of P490 000 was paid as ex-gratia and P4 689 914.45 paid to farmers who suffered damage due to wildlife between 2020/2021 and 2024/2025 financial years.

He said the cumulative damage affected 321 hectares of crops, 138 goats and sheep, 70 horses, 588 cattle and other properties that included fences, boreholes and water reservoirs.

He noted that Batswana operated all the concessions in the Ngami constituency, and they included Qangwa Community Trust, Cgae-Cgae Tlhabololo Trust, Okavango Jakotsha Community Trust, special elephant quota area and an un-allocated citizen hunting area, while Nokaneng Community Trust, Habu Elephant Development Trust and Tubu Development Trust also benefitted from the area.

The minister was responding to a question by Ngami MP, Mr Phillimon Aaron who wanted to know the number of fatalities and injuries that occurred in the last five years from human-wildlife conflict in Ngami and the ministry’s response to such.

He also asked about the costs of the incidents to the victims, in terms of property, stock, produce as well as to the government through compensation.
The MP further quizzed about the number of wildlife concessions in the constituency and those operated by community trusts or Batswana owned companies. ENDS