05 Jul 2022

Government will spend over P3.2 million for the electrification of Tsonyane village.

Member of Parliament for Kanye South, Dr Lemogang Kwape said this during a ground breaking ceremony of the electrification of Tsonyane village recently.

The contract for the has been awarded to a local company, Abies Construction and QED consultants and work is expected to start work soon.

Dr Kwape said the electrification of Tsonyane was a significant milestone toward improving access to electricity.

Therefore, Dr Kwape implored residents to take responsibility and guard against any malicious vandalism and theft to electrical cables and equipment once their village is electrified.

 “You need to be vigilant and report perpetrators because repairing of cable damages will come at a cost and a burden on government coffers, said Dr Kwape

He also advised residents to connect power to their homes as electricity would be readily available in the village in October.

The youth were also encouraged to take advantage of the project as it would also offer job opportunities. Dr Kwape said Tsonyane had been the only village in Kanye South without electricity, saying residents had long pleaded for the connection therefore it would be remiss if proper care was not taken against equipment theft.

“I am pleased that the pleas of the residents in Tsonyane have finally been answered,” he said. reliable for all to access,” he said.

He noted that government aimed at producing its own power utility and such would become easier if all villages were connected. “As part of our programme to provide electricity to the people, government also recognises and advocates for solar energy, he said.

He thanked Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) for considering Tsonyane residents at the time when the corporation was challenged financially due to the effects of COVID-19.

Regarding other village projects, Dr Kwape said negotiations and consultation were still ongoing with Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) to source a borehole which could be used to provide water for cattle.

Meanwhile, the BPC Transmission and Distribution general manager, Mr Bojosi Gaothuse said government had adjusted the national electricity standard connection fee and electrification levy. He noted that the National Electricity Standard Connection fee for households was P5 000 and for those earning P2 400 and below per month would connect at P2 500.

Mr Gaothuse noted that nowadays BPC installed a ready box in premises which were not wired. He said the scope of the Tsonyane project entailed construction of an 8km of 11volts over line from Seherelela to Tsonyane, supplying the village using the 50kva 11/0.4 kilo volts.

“On annual basis BPC together with its parent ministry undertakes assessments for both network extension in electrified villages and new village electrifications,” he said. Mr Gaothuse said village electrification was an ongoing phased programme, under which un-electrified villages alongside network extensions in electrified villages were considered.

“The rate of electrification is dependent on availability of resources and not all villages can be electrified at the same time, hence phasing of the project,” he said.

On that note, Mr Gaothuse said Tsonyane electrification formed part of the 40 villages which were approved for electrification during the 2021/22 financial year. “As a way of creating employment, the 400V ABC reticulation within the village shall be done on a later stage by another citizen owned contractor which will be appointed by the corporation when customers apply for connection of electricity,” he said.

Another ground breaking ceremony was also held for the extension of electricity from Lotlhakane East to Ga-Mae, a project which had been awarded to LES Contractor and Mercury Consultants at the tune of P1.2 million.

The project has also been schedule to begin with immediate effect and is planned to be complete in September. Ends