On 29 September 2015, I wrote an article on the El Nino drought that had, tangibly, affected much of Botswana. Luckily, I was home to witness the drought’s impact in my home village. About 150 metres from the front of my parents’ home yard laid a malnourished cow, too weak to get up. It died the following day and about 2 days later, a council worker, with the help of about 3-5 from the community, torched up the carcass.
On 20 February 2017, I wrote yet another piece. Partly inspired by my dear mother’s ululations, rightly celebrating the continuous rains across the country. Amid the much-needed rains, there was a nationwide warning of Cyclone Dineo. Although the storm’s impact, downgraded to ex-Dineo, was much felt in Mozambique, hundreds of families were also displaced in Botswana. Not only that but bridges collapsed and roads were destroyed too.
Today, Boxing Day 2017, my sister, Molly, sent me a couple of pictures, as well as videos of the unusual hailstorm in Kanye. While I was chuffed when I saw my niece and nephew playing with chunks of ice from the sky, seeing my favourite mangoes (albeit unripe), all on the ground got me worried. It was mainly for this reason that I clicked on the Facebook icon on my phone to further find out, perhaps beyond my parents’ house, how the hailstorm has been received in Kanye. Other than most people’s expected reactions of playing with and enjoying the icy moment, my worries were validated when I saw one post confirming that one main road has been very affected by the nearby roofing that appeared to have not withstand the storm. And as the photo shows, the lampposts and the transmission poles all succumbed to the road. Further to this, I watched about 3 videos by different people that clearly demonstrated how the roads have been affected. Finally, the ever-reliable Mme Ontefetse Babusi, my 92-year-old grandmother, via the phone, likened the severe hailstorm to the one in the late 80s that went on to dismantle my parent’s shop roofing as well as affect other houses in the village, resulting in some families displaced.
Following on from these patterns, it appears that we are, indeed, witnessing serious impacts of continued global warming in Kanye.
Photos thanks to: Pako Tshekoetsile; One Mashiakgomo; Ineeleng Gaemengwe; Ms T Tebza; Goitsemodimo Babusi; Lame Lenkopane; Emmanuel I-Syn Ogaufi Ikatlholeng; Raogape Waga Mmadikhukwane; Molly Kgasa.
Blessing Kgosi e tsile Kgasa 