11 Aug 2013

The frequent blockages on the Phase IV Primary School sewer line are a result of blockages on the Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) trunk main manhole in Block 2, Local Government and Rural Development assistant minister, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso, has said.

Responding to a question in Parliament from Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, Ms Tshireletso said the manhole blockages often led to the sewage backing into the school line.

She added that the blockages were caused by the dumping of rubbish into the manhole by residents.

Due to a lack of suitable connection points, she said the council had not been able to implement the proposed long term solution of constructing internal reticulation pipework and manholes, thus they would continue to call WUC to attend to the problems, as and when they occurred, she said.

On the other side, the sewer line at Moremogolo Primary School was damaged by a council grader working on the playground in June, 2013, Ms Tshireleltso clarified.

She said the grader broke a manhole cover which in turn harmed the sewage line, she said, adding that the problem was attended to within 2 days and ever since it has not recurred.

The assistant minister said she was aware that some students at Phase IV primary school were diagnosed with bilharzia. However, she could not attribute the disease to the sewage problem saying bilharzia was transmitted by snails that breed in fresh water and not in waste water.

The cases of bilharzia, she said were due to students playing in the water pools along the Tati River.

She said students who were diagnosed with bilharzia had been treated by the Public Health Specialist and educated about the dangers of playing in water pools along the Tati River.

Mr Mmolotsi had asked the minister to update Parliament on the sewerage situation at Phase IV and Moremogolo Primary Schools in Francistown.

In addition, Francistown MP had wanted to know whether the minister was aware that students at Phase IV had been diagnosed with bilharzia and the suspected cause was the sewerage water found in the schools. He also wanted to know what the minister was doing to deal with these matters. ENDS