11 Dec 2023

Gaborone City councilors have expressed concern that Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) has taken a decision to engage external debt collectors to address the P1.2 billion water consumption debt accrued by the public. 

During a consultative meeting with WUC recently , specially elected Councillor, Mr Lotty Manyepedza said the decision was ill-informed, adding that  smart water metres were overdue. 

Mr Manyepedza said WUC should benchmark with BPC as the use of prepaid electricity had  solved billing problems. 

He said rather than outsourcing debt collection to independent law firms who might blacklist Batswana, WUC should have a collection department through its legal unit. 

He said outsourcing collection would be costly as debt amounting to P4000 would be accompanied by a letter of demand amounting to P2 500, which would too expensive for Batswana to pay. 

Mr Manyepedza said lack of collection department would worsen the situation because of legal fees that might come with the engagement of external debt collectors. 

He also said WUC Private Public Partnerships to source water from Zambezi and Namibia was not the best idea to solve the water supply problem as businesses were looking to make profits. 

“A ga le toge le bona le tsaya tshielo Batswana metsi le e isa kwa bathong ba ba nang le itsholelo? Kana mohumi o tsosiwa ke go batla profit,” he lamented. 

He said failure to pay bills would be at the detriment of Batswana who would be cut off from the water supply due to high water bills. 

He said introducing pre-paid meters would be cost effective for WUC. 

Mr Manyepedza said water metres in Gaborone North were place outside the property perimeter fence, which he added  meant their safety was not the responsibility of residents. 

He further said putting the device outside could be disadvantageous for residents who have no control over the readings as there may be leakages and the resultant costs would be passed on to residents. 

For her part, Bophirima Ward Councillor, Mankie Sekete wanted to know about who was liable for the metre that had not been recording water consumption for over three years. 

Councillor Tshenolo Palai of Mosekangwetsi Ward said the corporation was not proactive in attending to leakages around the city. 

He said those carrying out maintenance works normally ignored leakages. 

Mr Palai also decried the lack of prompt response to waste water, which was hazardous to residents.  

WUC Gaborone General Manager, Mr Seabe Mabua, and head of Gaborone Region Business Centre, Ms Boitumelo Kgaodi addressed issues of vandalism of WUC property, water billing, water supply and challenges faced by the corporation in providing water services around Gaborone. ends