11 May 2016

Lentsweletau Sub-council chairperson Mr Botokanyana Motoroko has announced that the recent rains have made a slight reduction of water demand in some areas in the sub-district.

Speaking during a sub-council meeting on May 9 in Lentsweletau, cllr Motoroko said the natural water catchment areas have collected water thus relieving severe shortage which was being experienced in some villages before rains.

However, despite a few villages getting a slight boost, the sub-council chairperson said the Water Utilities Corporation jointly with The Department of Water Affairs were repairing boreholes with declining yields, adding that the mostly affected villages were Molepolole, Shadishadi and Boatlaname. He said Water Utilities Corporation would continue to relieve the situation by water bowsing. 

Mr Motoroko further explained that water supply challenges which were being experienced in the past two months in Magokotswane, Moruakgomo, Kgosing, Dithejwane among others, resulted from a blockage of Thamaga-Molepolole pipeline. 

He said it took three days to unblock the pipeline which was worsened by irregular power supply to Gaotlhobogwe and Malwelwe boreholes.

He explained that water supply to Molepolole was expected to improve by May 2016 as Thamaga started getting its supply from the North South Carrier II pipeline, currently at 63 per cent of construction and expected to be complete by February 2017. 

Residents have been however urged to use water sparingly to help contain the current water situation.

Regarding LAPCAS project, councillors have been requested to urge Batswana to register their plots in order to help achieve efficient, effective and transparent land administration.

Motoroko said despite reluctance of registering plots by residents, there were challenges encountered during the registration exercise as some plots were not accessible due to dangerous dogs and security fence among others.

Another concern  raised was that despite the land board allocating land for various uses every year, the plots remained undeveloped which according to the law breaches a development agreement, as per section 28 of the Tribal Land Act. It was further highlighted that out of the 75 undeveloped plots targeted for repossession, only seven plots have been developed. ENDS