20 May 2018

Vice President, Mr Slumber Tsogwane has assured residents of Satau and Parakarungu in the Chobe constituency that government, in collaboration with the disaster management committee, will continue to monitor floods in their villages.

Addressing residents of the two villages on May 18 after touring affected areas, Mr Tsogwane, who is also Boteti West MP, said his visit was on behalf of President Mokgweetsi Masisi to appreciate the situation and see how best the problem could be averted in future.

He said government and other stakeholders would continue to avail temporary relief services, and urged residents to be cautious and avoid drowning and water borne diseases.

He pleaded with relevant authorities to ensure availability of drugs in case diseases such as bilharzia, cholera and diarrhea were reported.

Mr Tsogwane said he was aware that the situation had affected businesses and had witnessed crops submerged in water.

In Satau, Kgosi Bernard Museke said the two villages were disconnected from the rest of Chobe enclave because the road was flooded.

He said the situation had disrupted public transport, adding that while he appreciated that an airboat was availed, another one was needed to help transport patients to Kachikau.

Kgosi Museke said farmers were likely to come out empty handed because crops were damaged by the floods.

Kgosi Richwell Nkonkwena of Parakarungu said the alternative road was in a bad condition, and noted that the airboat was not good for critical patients because it made a lot of noise.

Kgosi Nkonkwena informed the Vice President that children especially from Chituza would also not be able to go to school.

Chobe District commissioner, who is also district disaster management committee chairperson, Mr Keabetswe Lesiela said the floods, caused by the back flow of the Chobe River, affected the road, dissrupting public transport from commuting from Kachikau to Satau and Parakarungu.

He said apart from the road and some fields, Masanzu ward was the most affected.

Mr Lesiela said 300 hectares of crops were submerged in water, noting that when Lake Yambezi water levels went up, they tried to elevate the road using gravel but that it did not work.

He said since the incident, 90 children were transported to school by airboat daily while residents closer to the river were advised that they could either relocate to an identified area and use tents from the Red Cross or seek accommodation from relatives.

The area MP, who is also Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Machana Shamukuni said there was need to revisit the design of the road with a view to elevate it. ENDS