Illegal gold mining is rife in and around Francistown.
Barely a week goes by without The Voice reporting a fresh matter on young men, normally Zimbabweans, caught digging for gold in the abandoned mines at Matsiloje as well as the outskirts of Block 7 and 8 in the second city.
Last week, it was 40-year-old Moses Ncube’s turn to make the paper, after he was busted with three 12.5kg bags full of potential gold dust.
Patrolling police nabbed Ncube, catching him red-handed, hard at work filling a 4th bag.
The Gokwe native has since been joined behind bars by two of his countrymen, Walter Msimanga, 33, and Zwelithini Ncube, 32, who were rumbled in Matsiloje last Wednesday with precious stones suspected to be gold.
Appearing before Francistown Magistrates Court on Friday, the disheveled duo confessed to being in Botswana illegally and also to illegal mining.
Plea for the third charge, unlawful possession of unwrought stones, was reserved as the stones have been taken for forensic analysis.
Given the chance to address court, the barefooted Msimanga asked to be allowed to phone home.
“May I be assisted to make a phone call to my children back home so they know that I have been arrested,” enquired the Lupane resident nervously, a request that was repeated by his co-accused.
The Magistrate assured both men they will be assisted in prison, where they will remain until at least 15 February, the date of their next court appearance.
