Sand poaching claiming lives in Bulawayo

Sand poaching is rampant in and around Bulawayo, causing serious land degradation in the city. The sand is used for construction work. The pits dug by sand poachers have become death traps and in February 2021, a 15-year-old Pelandaba West boy drowned in an abandoned pit. The same pit claimed the life of a 12-year-old girl who drowned in December last year. The Bulawayo City Council has done little to address the issue, citing manpower shortages.