26 Jan 2021

The Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services is undertaking a number of projects in Kasane to make way for the Kasane-Kazungula redevelopment project.

 In an interview following a tour of the projects Monday, the ministry’s permanent secretary Ms Bonolo Khumotaka said the redevelopment project was  important for the economy.

 It would be implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, she explained.

 Her ministry, she said, would  do its best to facilitate implementation by among others expediting relocation of properties that would be affected.

Ms Khumotaka said projects that would be affected by the redevelopment included Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) water treatment plant, pump station, about 200 residential plots and some government facilities such as Botswana Prisons and Botswana Police Services.

She explained that 301 plots in Nyungwe would be serviced and allocated to the affected plot owners while the remaining would be availed to Department of Lands to address its waiting list backlog.

Ms Khumotaka said a contractor for WUC water treatment plant was already on site and it was anticipated that works would be completed in 33 months while a tender for the pump station was awarded in December.

With the new water projects, she said it was expected that demand would be met for the next 20 years.

She however lamented that since the state of emergency some Batswana had neglected servicing their water bills leading WUC into financial crisis. 

The permanent secretary advised people to pay their bills in order to avoid being disconnected at the end of the state of emergency period.

On other issues, she commended the Chobe Land Board for its interventions in managing its waiting lists.

She expressed satisfaction with progress made on her ministry’s projects in Kasane despite COVID-19 challenges.

Chobe Land Board secretary, Mr Kealeboga Kemoreile said plot waiting list stood at 10 722 for Kazungula, 6 525 for Lesoma, 2 423 for Pandamatenga, 939 for Mabele, 497 for Kavimba, 792 for Kachikau, 264 for Satau and 73 for Parakarungu.

He said as of January 22, 74 plots were allocated in Parakarungu. 

Mr Kemoreile said a layout of 1 184 mixed plots in Flowertown had been approved which he said was an indication that the land board was doing something despite acute land shortage. ends