Koos Theyse, who headed NamPol's Explosives Unit until his retirement three years ago, is part of an international team that is currently de-mining a stretch of road in south-eastern Angola between Lunga and Cuito Cuanavale.

It is an area of historic significance, where Namibian freedom fighters, backed by Angolan and Cuban military forces, were locked in battle with the South African Defence Force 20 years ago.

Speaking to The Namibian this week, Theyse, affectionately known as "Colonel" to his former colleagues, said the contract with a German organisation, Demira, started in June.

"We are busy de-mining strips of land on both sides of the 101-kilometre road stretching from Longa to Cuito Cuanavale and we do it manually," Theyse said.

"Clearing both sides of the road means that actually 202 kilometres must be covered by our men with handheld mine detectors."

Each little piece of metal must be carefully examined and entered in a record.

Ironically, the team members are picking up lots of rusty tin openers originally connected to bullybeef tins.

This food was part of the ration packs or 'rat packs' of troops on both sides of the firing line.

Theyse is currently in Namibia to receive more de-mining equipment shipped from Europe.

"By December this year we must finish the roadsides between Longa and Quito Cuanavale.

The deadline is a bit tight, but we will manage."

According to Theyse, who is a highly experienced explosives specialist, the fact that the area was a war zone 20 years ago is an incentive to him and other de-mining experts to help Namibia's neighbours to get rid of the scourge.

"I could have gone into an easy retirement but I think I can still contribute something useful through my experience."

He is happy that Namibia is virtually mine free now as Police and the Namibia Defence Force (NDF) worked hard - albeit with some donor aid - to achieve that aim.

Angola is considered to be one of the countries most affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs), with experts estimating numbers between one and six million.

The slow and delicate process of Angola's physical reconstruction and social integration is hampered by landmines left over from a devastating civil war.

Mines were laid on roads and paths to impede the movement of opposing forces, and to depopulate some areas by denying access to water sources and plantations.

The presence of mines on roads has proved a major obstacle to the movement of people and resources, and therefore to post-war social stabilisation and economic recovery.

Angola signed the Mine Ban Treaty on December 4 1997 during a temporary cessation of hostilities, but as civil war broke out again in 1998 both sides resumed the laying of mines.

This continued until the death of Unita leader Jonas Savimbi in 2002 paved the way for a peace agreement, which came into effect in January 2003.

The initial report of an international anti-landmine organisation in September 2004 identified 4 200 areas that contained or were suspected to contain anti-personnel mines affecting over 1,6 million people in 10 of 18 provinces.

There are about 80 000 landmine victims who have lost one or more limbs in Angola.

A Norwegian theatre director this year organised a controversial "Miss Landmine Survivor" beauty pageant in Angola to raise awareness on the plight of landmine survivors.

The world's first two Miss Landmine winners were crowned in Luanda, Angola, in April.

The winner of the jury's vote was Augusta Hurricane (31) representing the province of Luanda.

She won US$1 000, a motorbike, clothes, a weekend in a luxury hotel and a variety of domestic appliances.

The winner of the international Internet vote was Maria Manuel (26) of Stanza Saul province, with 2 831 (29 per cent) out of 9 888 votes cast from more than 30 countries.

Manuel could not attend the crowning due to pregnancy, but was awarded her prize - a prosthetic leg - at a separate ceremony in her home village Cachoeiras.

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