23 Mar 2021

Unlike some ministries which have experienced budget cuts,  the Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation’s P4 365 219 560 allocation for 2021/22 is 38.3 per cent more than that for the current financial year.

 Briefing the media on Monday, Minister Kefentse Mzwinila said the increase was mainly due to commencement of major water projects.

 He said the largest share or 53 per cent of the ministry’s over P3 billion development budget was meant for water supply pipelines at a cost of P1.835 billion.

Mr Mzwinila said included under the allocation was the development of the North South Carrier (NSC) 2.2 covering various sub projects such as the Kanye NSC connection; NSC 2.3, 100- km Masama-Mmamashia water pipeline projects; Molepolole (Gamononyane)-NSC connection and other water transfer schemes.

He said the second largest share of the development budget would go towards water supply and sanitation networks at P1.098 billion representing about 32.2 per cent.

Minister Mzwinila said the funds would be used to finance among others the Maun water and sanitation project, Kasane/Kazungula water networks, Kanye and Moshupa sanitation, Lobatse water master plan as well as  Seronga-Gudigwa village water supply.

For land servicing projects, the minister said P322.7 million or 9.8 per cent of the development budget had been set aside.

The amount  would cover the Selebi Phikwe special economic zones, Metsimotlhabe Block 4, Mmopane Block 1, Francistown (Aerodrome) link road, Ghanzi, Mochudi South, Letlhakane, Tsolamosese and Mabutsane land servicing projects.

He further said improvements on access to developed land were being considered noting that government would need around P94 billion to provide serviced residential land to citizens which was not achievable in the foreseeable future.

Mr Mzwinila however said the ministry  had increased its pace in allocation of unserviced residential plots with a total of 4 587 having been allocated so far.

Some 22 952 unserviced plots were expected to be allocated in the next financial year, he said.

 

He said review of undeveloped serviced land policy was being considered because some plots sat idle for a long time while many people were on the waiting list. ENDS