23 May 2018

The director of co-operative development, Mr Motse Otlhabanye has commended the Department of Co-operatives Development in collaboration with the co-operative movement in Mahalapye Sub-district for providing standpipes to disadvantaged members of the community.

Speaking in Sefhare during the handing over of the standpipes to the beneficiaries recently, Mr Otlhabanye said all the stakeholders who took part in the execution of the project had demonstrated a good gesture.

Eight beneficiaries from Sefhare, Kalamare, Shoshong, Pallaroad, Mmaphashalala, Kudumatse, Dibete and Taupye were identified. Out of the eight beneficiaries are people living with disability. Mr Otlhabanye, however, said the project targeted all deserving individuals.

Mr Otlhabanye said the project would not only benefit the eight individuals who received the standpipes, but that the benefit would be extended to their families. He said in some villages like Kalamare and Kudumatse, the standpipes would benefit a large population because the standpipes were connected to areas that were initially located outside the water utilities maps.

He said people who could not connect water due to high cost connection fees would now be able to connect. He further said beneficiaries would be much better placed to benefit from other programmes like the housing appeal compared to individuals who do not have standpipes in their homes.

Mr Otlhabanye urged the beneficiaries to be responsible and pay water bills to avoid water disconnections by Water Utilities.

He said the gesture was meant to fulfill one of the co-operatives’ principles commonly known as ‘concern for the community.’

He said co-operatives were expected to be compassionate with the community they operated in, and that the community was the main customer. He said the standpipes that were presented were testimony that the co-operators subscribed to the co-operative principles and values.

He said the government was committed to have an economy which was inclusive. He said last year in July the Botswana Co-operative Movement donated a fully equipped house and a multi-vegetable garden to a disadvantaged resident in Selebi-Phikwe, and that the project was still vibrant. ENDS