22 Jan 2017

In an effort to fast track establishment of Xorotsha settlement and relocate its inhabitants, North West District (NWD) leadership has appealed to government to fund the project.

The appeal followed Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Thato Kwerepe’s visit to appreciate developments in the area.

The authorities said delays were due to the lack of water at the area noting that other services such as demarcation of plots, construction of kraals, dams and connection of pipe lines were already in place.

Xorotsha settlement was conceived as a Presidential decision to accommodate about 300 people from the nearest ranches surrounding Kareng and Ghanzi so that they accessed basic services. It was reported that during a kgotla meeting in 2009, the President directed that the settlement be gazetted and people be relocated but action had dragged for years.

The settlement would be a Rural Area Dwellers (RADs) category and the government made a deliberate effort to assist people in remote areas to improve their living conditions by availing opportunities and resources.

The deputy district commissioner, Ms Angelinah Leano explained that they were committed to designating the settlement but their efforts were frustrated by insufficient funding.

She explained that they made efforts to submit proposal plans for the past financial years including Xorotsha but the budget was always inadequate. She appealed to the assistant minister to make a special dispensation for Xorotsha, adding that once funding was availed, they would work around the clock to ensure water connection and then other services would follow suit.

She hoped that funds permitting,  the project could be completed by July this year since they were equally concerned about the delay noting that residents were not accessing services as expected.

The senior assistant council secretary, Ms Mogomotsi Seemule said the project should be treated as affirmative action.

She said they were making efforts to find funds to conduct geotechnical survey for a borehole siting in the area following advice from Water Utilities Corporation.BOPA