23 Oct 2017

The long awaited Selebi Phikwe-Serule water transfer project that is to address water shortage problems in six villages is anticipated to commence next April, says Assistant Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Itumeleng Moipisi.
Villages include Mmadinare, Damochujenaa, Serule, Gojwane, Moreomabele and Topisi.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Damochujenaa on October 20, Assistant Minister Moipisi, who is also Member of Parliament for Kgalagadi North, said government had managed to secure a P200-million loan to fund the project from the World Bank, explaining that the funds made part of the P1.5 Billion loan sourced from the World Bank to fund government’s water master plan project aimed at providing potable water in most, if not all  villages in the country that have been experiencing water shortage problems.

He explained that the P200-million was expected to fund water pipeline network from the recently upgraded Selebi Phikwe water treatmant plant to Damochujenaa, Serule-Gojwane, Moreomabele and Topisi as well as the setting up of reservoirs and water distribution pipeline networks in the respective villages.

Mr Moipisi further explained that the Environmental Impact Assessment of the project had been completed, adding that the design of the project had been done and currently under audit.

He said government was in the process of introducing recycled water, adding that the plan was to utilise the recycled water in agricultural projects such as horticulture.

He indicated that a water recycling plant or water processing plant was due to be set up in Mahalapye.

Meanwhile, when responding to residents’ concerns that the water bills they receive are high, yet they experience water shortages and rely on water bowsers to provide water in the village, Mr Moipisi indicated that the problem needed to be rectified.

He assigned the Water Utilities Corporation in Selebi Phikwe to arrange to take their services to the village as soon as possible to link up with villagers, and establish the cause of the problem and rectify it.

On other issues, the assistant minister noted that the Deeds Registry Amendment Bill had been approved by Parliament and due to be signed by President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama so as to be enacted into law.

He said the new law would benefit Batswana in that it dictates that those who have registered their plots should be given plot certificates coupled with title deeds free of charge, courtesy of the government to avoid situations where Batswana had to spend a lot of money on lawyers and land surveyors to have a title deed for their plots.

For his part, Member of Parliament for Mmadinare, who is also Assistant Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila acknowledged Assistant Minister Moipisi for visiting Damochujenaa to inform residents about the strategies his ministry had put in place to address the water shortage problem at the village and other places in the area.

He said funds for the project had been availed and the water shortage problems would soon be a thing of the past.

He thanked residents for supporting government’s initiative, adding that funds permitting in future, the government would look into other development projects needed in the country such as roads network.

Meanwhile, after the kgotla meeting, Assistant Minister Moipisi visited Letsibogo and Dikgatlhong dams to get first hand information about the water holding capacities of the dams, pump stations, water treatment plants and which areas in Botswana receive water from the said dams, which include Palapye/Serowe areas, Mahalapye, Gaborone and Greater Gaborone areas as well as major villages in the southern part of the country. ENDS