Africa-Press – Botswana. Ramotlabaki and Oliphants Drift residents are elated that their villages would be connected to the national power grid.
In a kgotla meeting addressed by Mochudi East MP, Mr Mabuse Pule on Monday, residents hailed government’s effort in implementing the long awaited project which would adress electricity woes that have troubled them for a long time.
The villages of Mabalane, Sikwane, Mmathubudukwane, Ramonaka, Malolwane, Oliphant’s Drift and Ramotlabaki get power supply from Eskom in South Africa and have been affected by the current blackouts that hit the country.
Botswana Power Corporation, senior engineer Mr Christopher Baikalafi said three contractors had been awarded the job to connect the river villages to the national grid.
He said the project, which would be commissioned end of July would also create employment opportunities for the locals.
“We are aware of the challenges that may come with implementation of the project, but the corporation will try by all means to have electricity connected by end of July,” he said.
Meanwhile Mr Pule, who is also the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development apprised residents about the seven laws that were passed by the just-ended Parliament meeting and what the budget session entailed.
Among the laws, he said the Transfer Duty Act and Electoral Amendment Bill which aimed at increasing registration fees of council candidates from P100 to P200 and MPs from P500 to P1 000.
Mr Pule also told residents that Mmathubudukwane had been earmarked to be the service centre for the river villages and that currently, services offered twice a week.
Other envisaged developments include the tarring of Mabalane-Modipane 25km road network and paving of a 15km road from the kgotla to Ramotlabaki primary school.
Residents also learnt that government was aware of shortage of medicines and that currently the supply stood at 54 per cent availability.
Mr Pule also said the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD) had been replaced by Temo Letlotlo programme.
The programme seeks to promote household food security, mainly driven by small scale farmers and would further promote commercial production of grain and allow cluster farming.
Oliphant’s Drift headman, Mr Modise Mohutsiwa complained that border jumping was a security threat to villagers and a high number of drowning cases had been registered.
Oliphants Drift, Village Development Committee (VDC) chairperson Mr Oratile Matetewane requested that VDC allowance be increased and its membership tenure be increased to ensure continuity of projects.
He complained that local village committees amongst them farmers and health social welfare committees were inactive and that farmers were experiencing challenges with the Botswana Animal Information and Traceability System.
Other residents raised concerns of unavailability of post office, poor roads and lack of resources to assist residents to eke a living through fishing as the villages around Madikwe were endowed with water resources.
In Ramotlabaki, Kgosi Sekaiwa Modidi said residents were complaining of lack of a social and community development office, no kgotla shelter, vehicle for the health post and poor road network that cost residents huge fares to access services in Mochudi.
VDC chaiperson, Mr Edwin Tladi said VDC managed to complete houses and fencing of the cemetery yard.
He however complained that MyZaka pay system was a nightmare for Ipelegeng and other council employees.
Kgatleng District deputy council secretary, Mr Masiela Mandoze however informed residents that the council was currently changing a service provider and was engaging First National Bank since it had better options such as Cash plus agent.
Ramotlabaki residents complained about delayed land allocation and bad communication networks while area councilor, Ms Elizabeth Linchwe advised them to tap on to temporary job opportunities coming up with the project of village electrification.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
