Zama Zamas bare their souls after recent arrest.
It’s well over a decade since Matsiloje Gold Mine shutdown.
Although dark, dangerous and recently deadly, the abandoned shafts in the hills that surround the border village are far from deserted.
They remain an attractive proposition to ‘zama zamas’, illegal gold miners willing to risk life and limb in the hunt for gold dust.
Driven by desperation and hunger, hundreds come from north of the border, sneaking into Botswana from neighbouring Zimbabwe to dig in the crumbling pits.
Barely a week passes without the police making an arrest at the old mines – as loyal readers of The Voice know all too well!
In December, one zama zama’s search for gold ended in tragedy, when part of the shaft he was digging in collapsed, leaving him trapped underground. His body was never recovered.
Despite this, the illegal miners continue to come.
The latest to try their luck are Lupani natives: Peter Sibanda, 32, and Prince Mlalazi, 29.
Soldiers stumbled upon the duo on Sunday morning, catching the unsuspecting pair red-handed; while their countrymen fled the scene, Sibanda and Mlalazi were arrested.
Charged with border jumping, illegal mining and unlawful possession of suspected explosives, both men pleaded guilty before Francistown Magistrates Court this week.
Sentenced to a year behind bars, while waiting for the prison van to transport them to their new home, speaking in a mixture of Ndebele and Shona, the Zimbabweans narrated their tale of woe to The Voice’s CHRISTINAH MOTLHABANE.
This is their story…
Where are you from?
Sibanda: I am from Lupane but currently staying in Mabuledi where I used to work digging for gold.
Mlalazi: I come from Lupane village.
When and why did you come to Botswana?
Sibanda: We came here on Sunday to look for green pastures at the mines because of the situation our families are facing back home.
It was our first time coming here; unfortunately we got caught by the soldiers.
How did you know about this gold?
Sibanda: I got deceived after I told one of our friends in Mabuledi about my crumbling life.
My wife recently broke her leg and is unable to work while myself I do not have money to fend for my children.
He then told me I can come here with a group of them to dig for gold and be paid good money.
I was desperate, that is why I got deceived so easily.
Mlalazi: I came together with Peter and some others who had been before.
It was also my first time here; it is just that I wanted money.
It was going to be my first time digging even though I had no idea on how to do it.
How much were you to be paid?
Sibanda: We were to be paid 400 or 500 Rands depending on the gold we dug.
What went wrong?
Sibanda: When we arrived at the mine, we found the other team still digging so we waited for them to finish then our team got in.
My team, made up of five people asked me to go inside to dig first as I was a newbie.
It wasn’t that deep, about 3 meters deep and we were to take it in turns digging.
When I was inside, the soldiers arrived and the other three fled.
Prince, who was meant to be the lookout, was just standing there looking confused; he had no clue what was happening.
We were not warned about the soldiers.
They then called me to come out.
Prince: Ahh it happened so fast, when the soldiers arrived, others ran away.
I did not know what to do so I tried to go hide in a muddy shallow hole nearby.
Then I decided to just come out and wait for the soldiers as it was too late.
It must be risky to dig for gold illegally – weren’t you scared?
Sibanda: It depends; other mineshafts are not that deep.
Of course some are dangerous but we look at the bigger picture, to make money.
It was a bit scary but we were desperate.
Is it really worth risking you life or your liberty?
Sibanda: It depends, the more gold you have the more money you make.
So after serving your sentence, will you come back to Botswana for gold?
Sibanda: Never! If it happens that I come back it will be to look for genuine jobs.
Mlalazi: No way, I will never return.
When I finish my sentence I am going back for good.
You were charged with entering the country illegally, how did you arrive here?
Sibanda: My sister, we were border jumping.
We walked from Mabuledi to the border.
We were waking in the bush until we reached the mining area – it’s about 10km or something.
So when is the best time to mine?
Sibanda: Mining I guess it can be done anytime.
Be it on the day or night, because we come with flashlights and head-torches.
After mining, where do you take your rocks?
Sibanda: There is a buyer always waiting for it in Zimbabwe.
Myself I have not met him.
We were to work for the guys who brought us here.
They are the ones who hired us.
After mining they were to take the gold to the big boss.
Apparently, a gram is worth 200 rand.
