Earth tremors continue to haunt Selibe Phikwe
The lives of residents of Selibe Phikwe are under threat following the recurrence of tremors.
Between the years 2017 and 2019 Selibe Phikwe experienced an unpleasant occurrence of earth tremors. Around December 2023, residents of Selebi Phikwe reported earth tremors due to non-dewatering of the mine.
Member of Parliament for Selibe Phikwe West, who is also Leader of Opposition, Dithapelo Keorapetse has called for intervention of President Mokgweetsi Masisi before the situation worsens.
He said from answers provided in Parliament on questions he has asked and interactions with mining engineers and geologists, he is informed that these tremors are a result of chunks of massive rocks and earth falling and collapsing of the old BCL mining tunnels.
He revealed that the tremors are severe around Meepong CJSS, entire Newstands extending to Syringa lodge and BCL township.
“They are also felt in Botshabelo and Distands areas. The house would be shaking as the loud bang strikes. This is frighteningly unbearable and the people do not have peace of mind as they fear sinkhole collapses.
“As I have indicated, this happened previously and it stopped when the dewatering of the shafts was resumed after it was stopped by the Previous Liquidator acting recklessly without any authorisation from the Director of Mines or the Minister,” Keorapetse said in his plea to the president.
He said as the people of Selibe Phikwe they wonder why dewatering was stopped when the result of such is well known. The legislator stated that moreover, two companies had expressed interest in the Phikwe shafts, Number 3 and South East.
Keorapetse wondered why these would be sterilised when there could be commercial value?
“Why are they flooded when we know exactly what would happen in terms of tremors and other disasters which may occur. I therefore ask that you order an immediate resumption of dewatering of tunnels to stop the tremors and avert an impending disaster.
“This would also ease the anxiety of the residents of this town,” he said, adding that this would also calm anxious tourists or visitors who are always unsettled by these conditions.
In 2019 the then minister of Minerals, Eric Molale told Parliament that contrary to his plea and contrary to professional advice from the Director of Mines, the liquidator went ahead and flooded some shafts.
He said despite the existence of the Mines, Quarries, Works and Machinery Act which the Director of Mines used to instruct for the de-watering, the liquidator ignored the instruction.
“The earth tremors, yes, it is possible that when a water body like in the case of water which was not drained in the shafts, and gets into the rocks, there is bound to be some earth tremors.
“I am not a professional, I am still awaiting a professional report from the Geoscience Institute. Ordinarily, common sense will dictate that as water sips into the features of the rocks in the shafts, there is bound to be movements of the rocks and then culminating in earth tremors,” Molale said, at the time when responding to a question in Parliament.
He stated that earth tremors in Selebi Phikwe were first felt on the 17th December 2018, these were the first since BCL went into liquidation. He said following reports of the tremors, Botswana Geo Science Institute and the Department of Mines carried out investigations.
According to the Minister, the investigations involved detailed inspections of the mine underground infrastructure, as well as conducting macro seismic surveys.
Molale revealed at the time that the preliminary assessment conducted by the Department of Mines and Botswana Geo Science Institute, concluded that further scientific investigation and monitoring are required in order to establish causes, location, magnitude, intensity, frequency and risk arising out of those tremors.
“It is the ministry’s intention, the legal process permitting, to start pumping water out of those shafts as soon as possible. The dewatering process will be monitored by the Geo Technical Experts, to determine its impact on the reduction of the tremors or as the case may be as its affects Selebi Phikwe.
“Furthermore, Botswana Geoscience Institute (BGI) and Department of Mines will continue to maintain their presence in Selebi Phikwe to assess the evolving public safety issues and advise accordingly, especially in areas where cracking of houses has been recorded."