31 Aug 2020

Hundred per cent of populace residing in urban areas has access to potable water while 95 per cent at of those residing in rural also have access to clean water.

Minister of Land Management and Sanitation Services, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila made this point when responding to a question that was asked by Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi in Parliament, Thursday.

He also said safe water was accessed through improved services of household pipe  connections, public standpipes, bowsers and Jojo tanks.

Minister Mzwinila noted that the population without regular access to potable water was mostly  those residing in un-serviced plots, cattle posts and unrecognised settlements while some were squatters.

However, he said plans for provision of safe drinking water to un-serviced plots in gazetted settlements was done under the national development planning process for long term connection to piped running water.

He said the plans were implemented depending on the availability of development funding, ‘as an interim measure, standpipes and water tanks are provided on un-serviced areas for the residents to access safe drinking,” he said.

He further said people residing in un-gazetted settlements, lands and cattle posts accessed water from standpipes in nearby villages.

He also said they could access water through different agricultural package programme that had been developed to assist farmers and people residing in agriculture land.

Minister Mzwinila noted that as the ministry discouraged the mushrooming of squatters and water supply at squatter settlements is not encouraged either.

Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi had asked the minister to explain what percentage of the population had access to clean water  and to state government plans in provide potable water to areas that did not have access to such. ends