Thirsty villagers resort to river water
Lerato Maleke | Wednesday April 16, 2014 14:29
The Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) cannot supply the residents because the settlement is not gazetted. Besides, the residents cannot prove ownership of their plots to enable WUC to install standpipes.
Some residents say they have not bothered to get land ownership certificates from the district capital of Mochudi because it is too far. Olefile Tsiane, who is unemployed, said he does not have money to travel to Mochudi to retrieve the certificate for his plot.
“Since Ramotlabaki is a settlement, most resources are not available including public transport,” he told Mmegi. “Therefore it is either we hitch a ride in government vehicles or incur charges from those who have vehicles.”
Though they are squatters, some residents feel they already own the land, with or without certificates.
One such resident is Mothusi Peolwane, who allocated himself a plot a few kilometres from his parents’ home. “The abundance of land here and the fact that it is sparsely populated, makes people believe they can allocate themselves as many plots as they want,” said one resident.
“In the process, however, they fail to produce either certificates or other documents required for standpipes.”
Other squatters claim traditional rights to the land but cannot produce certificates to prove it. A resident, Mpho Molwane, said while they have had a spirit of bojammogo (mutual cooperation), the WUC rules mean that those with standpipes cannot share their water with those without. “My parents have a standpipe but WUC doesn’t allow me to fetch water from there. Therefore, I get water from the river,” she said. WUC spokesperson, Matida Mmipi, said that the corporation only provides water at gazetted points and could not be seen to be condoning squatting.
“They either need to produce a lease agreement, a certificate from the landboard or an affidavit from the chief or family member as proof,” she said.
“The corporation exists to ensure that all Batswana have access to water as long as requirements are followed. We cannot install standpipes on plots where there is no evidence of ownership.” The area MP, Isaac Mabiletsa, said he was aware of the water crisis in Ramotlabaki. He said when he consulted the WUC office in Mochudi, he learnt that the residents could not produce land ownership certificates.
“The corporation should understand that these people are remote area dwellers and they should be assisted as much as possible,” he said.