08 Nov 2023

 Parliament has learnt that the contractor who was engaged in the P291 million water connection project in Tswapong South has received 23 requests for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects from villages in the area.

Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, Dr Kefentse Mzwinila said the CSR projects requests included two from churches being monetary assistance and roofing of a church building.

He said 10 proposals were from the Village Development Committees being monetary assistance, excavation of rubbish pits at primary and secondary schools, repairs on cemetery road, excavation of a dam, mini bus for a football team, sports equipment, fencing of cemetery sites, demolishing of old structures, fencing of football grounds, construction of a culvert at a river crossing, roofing materials for conference hall and relocation of borehole pipes.

Dr Mzwinila said government institutions made seven requests being construction of stone wall around Pilikwe kgotla and backfill of existing burrow pit within the village, levelling of Sefhare kgotla area including drainage and covered parking area, porta cabin, photocopying machines and debushing at Sefhare Primary Hospital.

Minister Mzwinila added that a farmers’ syndicate based in Moshopha requested for excavation of a dam.

Additionally, Dr Mzwinila said Itekeng Disability Association requested for debushing of access road to the site and clearing of football grounds as well as monetary contribution towards building of a community-based rehabilitation centre.

Dr Mzwinila said CSR was not legislated in Botswana and there were no funds set aside by the contractor for CSR projects. 

He said no action would be taken against the contractor as there was no breach of any legislation.Dr Mzwinila said the guiding principle was that the contractor considered CSR proposals from the community leadership at its own discretion and thereby implementing selected projects based on its evaluation.

However, Dr Mzwinila said the contractor had made an undertaking to engage the leadership of the villages within the project area to carry out a CSR project that would benefit the entire region of Tswapong South.

Dr Mzwinila was responding to a question from Sefhare/Ramokgonami, Member of Parliament Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang who had asked the minister to apprise Parliament on the state of CSR in respect of the P291 million project of connecting water to Tswapong South Villages from Mahalapye Phase II Water Supply Project.

He also wanted to know the number of requests for CSR projects received by the contractor from Tswapong South villages, the number and types of projects approved and what would be done to remedy the situation to ensure compliance with existing legislation on CSR. ENDS