Sefophe reels under perennial water woes

MQONDISI DUBE
Correspondent | Friday June 27, 2008 00:00

 Sefophe is a village that is home to one of the most powerful political figures in the country, Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Affairs, Ponatshego Kedikilwe. 
Kedikilwe is the area Member of Parliament.

Despite the presence of the high profile Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) politician, Sefophe is known to be a hotbed of opposition politics.

The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has mounted a serious challenge against the ruling party's dominance in the area, once considered a BDP stronghold.  In the 2004 council election, BCP's Joseph Bagwasi agonisingly came 14 votes short of snatching the ward from the BDP.

In a by-election, the BCP fell just 17 votes away from a shock victory and the opposition party, buoyed by that performance is mounting a strong challenge for 2009.  It is believed that perennial water shortages and poor road networks are some of the reasons behind the dwindling support of the BDP in the area.  As an area devoid of robust economic activities, most families rely on subsistence farming with a few farm owners around the village engaged in commercial farming.

The produce usually finds a market in Selebi-Phikwe. During the mopane worm (phane) season, Sefophe is a hive of activity with villagers lining the Selebi-Phikwe - Martin's Drift highway to sell the edible worm.  Customers from as far as South Africa, swarm the village to purchase the delicacy, which is also used to produce cattle feed.

Sefophe lies in a belt that receives favourable amounts annual rainfall.  Despite Sefophe's proximity to an urban centre and above average rains, it has, since time immemorial, experienced endless water problems.  Opening a tap does not guarantee one that the precious liquid will flow out. It has become a common occurrence for villagers to wake up as early as 5am to fetch water and most of the times, weary residents trek back to their homes empty handed.  Most of the taps simply run dry before quenching the villagers' thirst. 

Sefophe councillor, Thatayaone Segona says the village's water problems will be solved under the national emergency water supply project.

He says the project was initially supposed to be carried out under DP6 but had to be deferred due to lack of funds.  Segona says the water situation will normalise by February next year as Sefophe will draw water from Selebi-Phikwe.

Khumoyame Molepe, who runs a small business, says the water situation has always been the proverbial 'Achilles heel' in Sefhophe.

Successive civic leaders have promised to solve the village's water woes to no avail.  Molepe details how most villagers are forced to abandon their warm winter sleep as early as 5am to walk seven kilometres to the nearest tap with the hope of returning home with a bucketful of water.

She, however, says these early morning trips usually end in agony.  Molepe says innovative villagers who own donkey drawn carts are taking advantage of the situation and have resorted to selling water.  'A 200litre drum of water sells for P10. People who don't have carts have no option but to buy as the water situation is critical,' Molepe says.  She says the local leadership usually informs villagers that water pumps develop mechanical problems. Molepe says water bowsers from Selebi-Phikwe make intermittent trips to the village and that this is not sufficient to meet the growing Sefophe population's demand.

'We talk to our leaders about the water situation almost on a daily basis but there is no change. Those who do not have money or a cart are resigned to spending days without water,' Molepe says.  She also complains about the poor state of the roads in the village. Molepe says it is not only the road leading to the village that is in a state of disrepair, but the throughways in Sefophe equally need attention. 

'Sefophe is a modern village and therefore there is need to tar the gravel roads in the village to go with the village's status. You find that there is dust everywhere each time a vehicle passes,' Molepe says.

Molepe, like other villagers, complains that crime has soared in recent years and that residents no longer feel secure.

She believes that lack of employment opportunities contributes to the high levels of crime.  As a result, Molepe does not want to commit herself to any political party arguing that it will not improve the situation.

'I told politicians that I will only join a party if the water problems are solved. How can you vote when you have to push a wheelbarrow for seven kilometres to fetch water?' she quizzed.

Grey haired Toteng Ranko is one of the few lucky villagers whose tap regularly spouts out water. However, he admits that at times it runs dry.  He says the situation is compounded by the fact that the water is hard and salty.  Ranko argues that the situation has not improved in a long-time. However, his wife chips in and says there has been a slight improvement in the water supply.  She says the village's population has grown, which has seen demand outstrip supply.  She adds that authorities are forced to close taps particularly at night as some farmers are accused of using domestic water to water their livestock.

Ranko says besides the critical water problems, the effects of high food prices are being felt in the village.

Regarding crime, the duo believes the solution lies in increasing the presence of police officers. Presently, there are three officers in the village.  Despite the gloomy situation painted by a number of villagers, Sefophe chief, Diloro Segwabe believes both the crime and water situation are far from explosive.  Segwabe says the water woes will be a thing of the past 'pretty soon'. He says the village will receive water from the Shashe dam through Selebi-Phikwe. Contrary to the villagers' claims, Segwabe says bowsers have maintained a constant supply of water.

'It (water shortage) is a problem but it is not that pronounced,' Segwabe says.
He says the crime situation in the village is under control and the available police officers 'are doing their best'.

Segwabe says the village has recovered from a devastating storm, which swept Sefhope two years back.  He says most of the families have managed to rebuild their homes, adding that those who have not done so, 'it is down to laziness'.  Like other areas across the country, the village is reeling under the effects of the HIV/AIDS scourge.  However, Segwabe says with the advent of the government's anti retroviral therapy, HIV/AIDS related deaths have been on the decline.  He says some interventions at local level have also helped in the fight against the pandemic. Segwabe says the local leadership uses kgotla meetings to spread HIV/AIDS issues.