19 Oct 2022

Shortage of water in the Tswapong South area that has been going on for a long time will soon be a thing of the past.

This follows the nearing completion of the connection of Tswapong South villages to Mahalapye phase two water project, which started in November 2020.

The project, which starts in Mahalapye, with a pipe of 400mm, will pump water to Moshopha, 68km from Mahalapye, where a pump station has been set up with a reservoir of 1 500m³.

During a tour of the Moshopha site, project manager, Ms Delilah Motukwa said the Moshopha pump station had three channels that would be pumping water to Sefhare, Ramokgonami and Pilikwe clusters.

The project, which is 93 per cent complete, Ms Motukwa said, was behind schedule as they encountered challenges such as delayed approval of the environmental management plan (EMP).

She said the contractor had anticipated the EMP to be approved within three months, instead of the six, hence delayed commencement of the project.

Ms Motukwa also noted that excess rock underground was one of the major hiccups when placing pipes, adding that acquiring the suitable type of soil to lay pipes was also a challenge.

Another setback, the project manager said, was that the pipeline also passed through some of the Tswapong fields, where owners had to be compensated, while some cases took long to resolve, hence delayed project progress.

Nonetheless, Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, Dr Kefentse Mzwinila set a deadline for the contractor to have had completed all the works by November 15.

He said government was committed to providing adequate potable water of the required standards to Batswana, hence the need to fast track water projects.

Dr Mzwinila highlighted that the P291m connection of Tswapong South villages to Mahalapye phase two project was one of the developments aimed at improving the lives of Batswana, as it would benefit 18 villages in the area.

He however noted that the envisaged 20-year life span facility would have long started, but due to budgetary constraints it could not. He therefore thanked Batswapong for their patience.

For his part, Sefhare/Ramokgonami MP, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang commended government for such projects, adding that shortage of water had always been a burning issue.

“I am happy that it is finally happening, we have long waited for such moments as Batswapong,” he said. Ends 19/10/2