08 Feb 2024

Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, Dr Kefentse Mzwinila has told Parliament that Bere Water Supply project, which started in June 2022, was commissioned on November 29 last year resulting with improved water supply for the villages of Kuke and Bere.

Dr Mzwinila said this in response to a question in Parliament recently.  

He explained that the project commenced in June 2022 with the scope of electrification of the borehole using solar, construction of 12km pipeline to the tank site and installation of 100 cubic galvanised tank on 12m stand to boost supply pressure.

He added that water demand in Kuke village had grown significantly over the years and the community relied on two public standpipes as their source of water supply.

“The ministry through the Water Utilities Corporation installed four new prepaid public standpipes that were donated by Sandfire Motheo Mine during the week ending December last year. The use of the prepaid systems enables the residents to better budget for their water usage and it also serves as a conservation measure for better water demand management practices,” he said.

Nevertheless, Dr Mzwinila acknowledged that Kuke village had limited water reticulation which only benefitted Kuke Primary School, kgotla, clinic and the teachers’ quarters, making it difficult for the residents to connect water to their homesteads.

He also said both the old part of the village and the newly allocated plots towards the eastern part of the A3 highway had not been reticulated, adding “with the foregoing, residents have been accessing water from the two public standpipes.”

He said funds permitting, land servicing for Kuke village would be done during the twelfth National Development Plan (NDP 12).

Member of Parliament for Ghanzi North, MP John Thiite had asked the minister to provide an update on the status of the recently implemented Kuke water project.

MP Thiite also wanted to know the expected date for the commencement of water reticulation at Kuke, allowing residents to connect standpipes to their homesteads.

He further wanted to know the anticipated installation date of the long promised prepaid public standpipes. ENDS