10 Nov 2025

Contractors of Bonno Housing project in Kgalagadi South have been urged to prioritise timely completion and adhere strictly to the allocated budget.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Tsabong recently, Minister of Water and Human Settlement, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi said government would speed up housing delivery and confront the persistent water and sanitation challenges gripping the Kgalagadi district.

Minister Ramogapi urged citizen contractors involved in the Bonno house construction project to double their effort to meet project deadlines. He stressed that the construction initiative would create much-needed employment in Kgalagadi and ensure that all labour was compensated with a minimum wage of P4 000.

He highlighted the critical need for the Bonno project, owing to the reality that many Batswana lacked property, with the high cost of building making property ownership unaffordable for most, often resulting in them selling their allocated plots.

He acknowledged that  government continued to prioritise housing for Batswana to increase access to more affordable housing. 

He introduced the contractors to the community and called upon key stakeholders such as the Landboard, Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) and the council to actively support the project and act as its ambassadors.

He confirmed that all contractors on the Bonno project were Batswana. On the district’s severe water situation, Mr Ramogapi acknowledged the water shortage and confirmed that solutions were being implemented.

However, he outlined the primary obstacles to a stable supply, which he said included the ongoing water crisis characterised by shortage of underground water which was often salty and the mechanical challenges posed by the invasive plant known as Sexanana.

The Sexanana plant, he explained, actively broke and blocked water pipes with its roots. Furthermore, he said illegal water connections were exacerbating the crisis.

To that effect, he said immediate actions were undertaken to mitigate the shortage include bowsing (trucking) water and exploring new underground water sources.

He further said a significant concern raised was the district’s lagging state in water sanitation. He also noted critical lack of water ponds and told residents that government was planning for a water treatment plant, which was slated for inclusion in the upcoming NDP 12.

Residents were also assured of government’s commitment to accelerating social welfare projects while battling environmental and infrastructural headwinds in the arid Kgalagadi region. ENDS