14 Mar 2021

 The Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Mr Sethabelo Modukanele has said Qabo settlement has been experiencing water shortages since October 2020 due to inadequate water supply for remote communities’ livestock.

Responding to a question in Parliament on Thursday, Mr Modukanele said Ghanzi District Council had been sourcing water for remote area communities from Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) who had since indicated that there was a decline in borehole yield.

Grootlagte settlement on the other hand has adequate water supply for livestock that is pumped from a high yielding borehole.

The settlement has therefore never experienced water shortage for watering remote communities’ livestock.

Between April and October 2020, WUC was paid over P459 000 for supplying water for remote area communities livestock, he said.

He said WUC stopped water supply to Qabo in October 2020 due to low borehole yield.

The assistant minister said a high yielding borehole point had been identified for Qabo and explained that a tender for the cleaning and pump testing of the borehole was awarded in November 2020 with the project expected to be completed in December 2020.

However, the contractor wrote to the council withdrawing the contract and it was eventually terminated in January this year.

Subsequent to the cancellation of the contract, Mr Modukanele said the council received a donation from Tshukudu Metals to clean and pump test the Qabo borehole and it was completed in February this year.

Procurement plans to equip the borehole and construct water reticulation pipes has started.

The contractor was issued an award letter in February and works were to be completed in March but the contractor has terminated the tender offer and it was awarded to the second best bidder on March 4.

Works planned to start March 5 and are expected to be complete on April 1.

Ghanzi North MP, Mr John Thiite had asked the minister if he was aware of recurring water crisis in Qabo and Grootlagte settlements.

He also asked the minister to state the expenses incurred paying WUC for supplying Rural Area Development Settlements (RADs) livestock with water. Ends