Golden dreams end in nightmare for sleeping siblings

Christinah Motlhabane
JAILED: The Ncube siblings

Two brothers who came to Botswana dreaming of gold are now stuck in a nightmare situation after they were caught snoozing at the old Matsiloje mines hours after entering the country.

Siblings, Bonani and Ayanda Ncube were found napping on Wednesday 9 October, rumbled by soldiers patrolling the area that evening.

While their fellow Zama Zama’s managed to avoid arrest, escaping into the bush, the two bleary-eyed brothers were not so lucky.

During their capture, the soldiers also confiscated hammers, torches and other digging equipment.

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Appearing before Francistown Magistrates Court on Friday (October 11, 2024) charged with illegal mining and border-jumping, 28-year-old Bonani insisted he did not realise they were breaking the law.

“It was our first time coming to Botswana. When we arrived at the mining area we were exhausted and slept. We did not know we had to sleep with one eye because when we left Zim, we were told we are going to work in a mine. We were nine in total, the others fled when the soldiers pounced on us. Me and my brother were caught sleeping, we did not mine at all,” he maintained.

Bonani told court that, along with his younger brother, Ayanda, 22, they travelled by combi from their home village of Kwekwe to Ngulubeni before heading to BW on foot.

“We then walked for four hours in the bush until we reached the mining area. We were clueless of where we were going as it was our first time. The guys we were with just told us when we arrive, we rest for a bit then dig for gold and return back to Zim where we will be paid,” explained Ayanda.

Looking disheveled and tired, although they pleaded guilty to being in Botswana unlawfully, the Ncubes insisted they were innocent of the second charge as, while they intended to dig for gold, they fell asleep before any mining took place.

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Humbly asking for mercy, Bonani revealed he has a pregnant wife back home and that he was hustling to provide for them.

“My wife is expecting, and I thought I could come to Botswana to make money, I am really sorry.”

Similarly, Ayanda expressed his remorse, begging to be allowed to return to Zimbabwe to sort out his affairs.

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“I’m renting and I’m scared the landlord will remove my property from her house if I do not pay rent. I ask for forgiveness,” he said.

Although the Magistrate expressed sympathy for their situation, both men were handed a three-month prison term for unlawful entry into the country. They are due back in court on 22 October for Status Update in the illegal mining matter.

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