15 Feb 2022

Domestic customers and government institutions account for over P40 million of the P44 million owed to Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) in Mahalapye.

“This debt seriously compromises the ability of the corporation to provide timely services to its customers,” Mahalapye Sub-District Council chairperson, Mr Bantlhasetse Merementsi told its virtual meeting Monday.He said of the amount,  domestic customers  owed P27.2 million, government institutions P14.6 million, businesses P2.4 million and council P0.5 million.   

Mr Merementsi expressed concern that domestic customers and government institutions accounted for the largest portion of the debt.

He urged councillors to assist in educating the public on the consequences of bad debt saying it would result in poor service delivery.

To reduce the debt, he said, WUC had embarked on a two-month disconnection exercise, from February 1, to March 31.

The corporation had also set up service centres at satellite villages for mobile collection, he said.

Mr Merementsi said other payment avenues included through  First National Bank Botswana, ABSA Bank Botswana and Standard Bank Botswana as well as WUC website and USSD code *186#, which was accessible through all cellphone networks.

Updating on the sub-district’s water supply situation, Mr Merementsi said villages in the sub-district were supplied through surface water from the North South Carrier and boreholes.

He said for villages supplied from surface water, the situation was fair except for periods when there were breakdowns.

On the other hand, for those supplied from boreholes, the situation ranged from fair for villages in the Shoshong cluster to critically acute for Tswapong South villages.

 “As an immediate measure, WUC is currently bowsing to those villages,” he said. Ends