17 Mar 2025

The unabating challenge of illegal mining in Matsiloje area and cross border jumping from Zimbabwe into Botswana are among issues government has promised to deal with.

First reported in 2017, illegal gold mining appears to be bigger that initially thought, Minister for State President, Mr Moeti Mohwasa stated yesterday during a visit to the Rainbow old gold mines near Matsiloje.

Minister Mohwasa said government would engage its Zimbabwean counterpart before end of the month, to discuss illegal border crossings and the implications of security along the border.

The minister said that the occurrence was not confined to Matsiloje area but extend as far as Bobonong.

He said the presence of senior military and police officials at the site demonstrated the seriousness with which government treated the matter.

“Bringing in senior management from the army and the police commissioner demonstrates our concern,” Mr Mohwasa said.

While acknowledging shortage of resources by the police service he promised that the government would prioritise allocating funds to enable them to effectively carry out their duties.

Mr Mohwasa assured residents that government was committed to achieving maximum results and develop a plan to address the issue. The minister will address a kgotla meeting in Matsiloje sometime in April.

Kgosi Eric Moipolai of Matsiloje reported that residents planned to petition the government. He said illegal miners were a serious threat to residents citing past incidents when they dug shafts on residents’ farmland and resisting arrests.

They often operate in groups of 50 or more and carry dangerous weapons they mine with, said Kgosi Moipolai adding that residents feared for their lives and felt inadequately protected.

Acting Minister of Minerals and Energy, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, raised the issue in Parliament last week based on his observation at a site in Tachila area and corroborated these concerns.

He described a disturbing encounter with a group of 100 illegal miners in Tachila which he said demonstrated just how ugly the situation was.

Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Detective Senior Superintendent Ookediste Moseki detailed the history of the problem which he said involved the discovery and closure of 56 of the 57 illegal gold mining shafts in the area.

He informed the minister that some miners used explosives to re-open the shafts. He said some arrests had been made and explosives and metal detectors used to locate gold seized.

Police Commissioner, Ms Dinah Marathe consented that the matter needed urgent attention.

“As the police, we will develop a new plan to combat this problem,” she said.

The problem is reportedly spreading to Nyangane mines near Kalakamati in Tati West constituency where some illegal miners are said to be terrorising residents and digging shafts in their ploughing fields. ENDS