APOPO has recently completed clearance of a small minefield at Pfukwe in the district of Mabalane. This was a high priority task, necessitated by EDM, the National Electricity Company, starting work to connect the town of Mabalane into the National Grid. The schematics for the positioning of electricity pylons showed that they were due to be laid through a minefield, causing a significant hazard to the workers, and preventing the work from taking place.

A survey of the minefield was conducted to establish the extent of the mined area, and this also revealed the tragedies which had befallen local inhabitants to this area over the years. Within the area where some mines were now clearly visible, lay scattered the skeletal remains of both humans and animals – unsuspecting victims to these deadly legacies of conflict.

APOPO cleared approximately 5000 square metres (100m x 50m) of land in this minefield, and within this area were 32 anti-personnel mines, of type Gyata and PMN. These are both anti-personnel blast mines, with a high explosive content to weight ratio, normally causing severe traumatic amputation of a limb, which frequently leads to death.
Work on the electricity pylons has now continued, and Mabalane should be on the National Electrical Grid within a few months, bringing enormous benefits to the 10,000 strong population of the Mabalane Administrative area.

This work was made possible through the continued support of our donors for 2009; namely the Belgian Government, the Flemish Government and the UNDP.