12 Apr 2017

Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi has called on the nation to exercise patience as Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) continues to grapple with challenges undermining adequate and consistent supply of water.

Mr Masisi’s remarks followed complaints by residents of Manyana who stated during a kgotla meeting on April 11 that water situation in their village had become unbearable.

The Vice President, who is also Moshupa/Manyana constituency lawmaker, reminded everyone that whereas demand for water had grown substantially over the years throughout the country, the same could not be said about the corporation’s water supply network.

He said that, coupled with aging infrastructure, which often broke down, had not been able to cope with the ever increasing demand for water countrywide.

Mr Masisi said therefore, the corporation was undertaking numerous interventions to deal with the situation.

To that end, Moshupa/Manyana lawmaker said the just ended parliament’s budget session had among other Bills, passed the Emergency Water Security and Efficiency Project Bill, which authorised government to secure a loan of P1.5 billion to address water crisis that prevailed in most parts of Botswana.

On other issues, Mr Masisi appreciated extra work put in by teachers at both Manyana Primary School and Boswelakgosi Junior Secondary School to turn around results.

He said it was now incumbent upon parents to come to the party and partner with teachers in the education of their children.

WUC official, Mr Amogelang Molefhe echoed Mr Masisi’s words saying plans, among others, treatment water plant in Otse, augmentation of boreholes to increase supply, which formed part of Lobatse Master Plan were underway to stem the tide.

Earlier on, Kgosi Kebinatshwene Mosielele of Manyana expressed displeasure about the law on the constitution of councils and subordinate authorities, which he said barred him from adequately representing his subjects during full council sessions in Moshupa.

Senior assistant council secretary for Moshupa Sub-district, Mr Isiah Odirile stated, however, that the Local Government Act dictated that in respect of a subordinate authority, only members of Ntlo Ya Dikgosi, a Kgosi or Moemela Kgosi from the area within which the subordinate authority headquarters was situated were legible to be appointed ex-officio members by the minister. ENDS