09 Dec 2020

Technical challenges in relation to ground elevations has made it difficult to provide connection services to the sewage schemes despite payment of connection fees by some people, the Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila has said.  

Answering a question in Parliament, Mr Mzwinila said so far 598 people in the Serowe South constituency, who had paid, had not been connected due to some technicalities such as plots situated at a lower level than the connection point resulting in no gravitational flow because of the slope.

He said during the construction phase of the Serowe Water Works Project, residents were encouraged to pay a connection fee of P1 000 to the then Department of Water Affairs in Serowe for them to be connected to the scheme.

He further noted that in October 2017, the ministry set up a team to assess and recommend corrective measures countrywide as the challenge did not only affect Serowe.  

“The team recommended that an estimated amount of P600 million will be needed to correct the status quo and connect the remaining 598 residents into the scheme,” he said.  

He said it was the responsibility of the ministry to fully service plots, funds permitting, including provision of improved sanitation services with a view to facilitate safe disposal of waste.

Minister Mzwinila said government did not have any intention to refund those who had paid, but would rather pitch the request again together with other competing proposals for inclusion of the project into NDP 12.

Mr Mzwinila was responding to the Member of Parliament for Serowe South, Mr Leepetswe Lesedi, who wanted to know if the minister was aware that some people who paid the then Water Affairs Department in Serowe to connect to sewage lines never received the service they paid for nor were they reimbursed.

He also wanted to know if there were any plans to refund all those who had paid, but were not connected to the sewage lines. Ends