18 Mar 2026

Water Utilities Corporation (WUC), as a water supply authority for the whole country, does not cover areas or settlements that are not gazetted. 

Responding to a question in Parliament on Monday, Assistant Minister of Water and Human Settlement, Mr Motsamai Motsamai said although the ministry had a desire to provide clean drinking water for all Batswana, such provision should occur within the context of resource constraints and laws and policies in place. 

“It is not prudent to initiate a programme which cannot be implemented because it is not lawful and not financially viable,” he said. 

However, the minister explained that WUC had taken steps to permit individuals in ungazetted settlements and farming communities to connect to nearby water pipelines for potable water, which were not pumping main lines. 

“The full cost of connection is borne by the customers…communities in agricultural lands near such suitable pipelines can team up and contribute towards the cost of water connection,” he added. 

He, however, said that WUC already had a backlog of water infrastructure projects to supply and reticulate water to gazetted towns, villages, and settlements. 

He explained that any increase in the scope of work would require additional financial resources, which were not available. 

He further explained that gazettement and recognition of rural settlements was done by the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs in line with the National Settlement Policy. 

Okavango West MP, Mr Kenny Kapinga, had sought whether or not the Ministry of Water and Human Settlement had any intentions of reviewing the so-called unrecognised settlements access to treated water, which passed through or near their settlements to recognised villages. ENDS