Govt failing SHHA residents � Hambira
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Thursday September 25, 2014 17:46
Hambira told council that many households could not afford the connection fee.
He said he was disappointed to learn that Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) had given people a deadline to have connected to the system failing which the corporation would not empty their pit latrines and sewage tanks.
“I do not see why WUC had to give our electorates a deadline on when they have to be connected to sewerages. It is wrong for WUC to threaten that it will stop emptying their pit latrines and sewage tanks. Why should people suffer or be forced to connect when we know that many Batswana can’t afford to pay connection fees,” he said.
Hambira further said pit latrines were developed out of a government policy and therefore, the poor households should not be blamed for the government’s failure to bring developments in time.
He was referring to the recent statement issued by WUC that stated the corporation would suck out toilets and drains by December 31. He said the residents must be given some time to connect.
Furthermore, he expressed displeasure at the council for handing over wastewater disposal and other services to WUC saying that that had caused much suffering to Batswana.
“Since our resources were taken from us, we have no means to help our people,” he added.
This comes after Mayor Haskins Nkaigwa, told the council that upon the completion of Gaborone integrated sewer project in 2012, it was expected that by now Gaborone residents would have connected to the sewerage infrastructure.
He said it was evident that some residents did not have the necessary funds for connection. He however, appealed to the residents to visit SHHA offices and make applications for sewer connections as that was accommodated under the SHHA.
“We also request government to engage WUC to extend its deadline for vacuum tanker services by another six months to July 2015 to allow residents to connect to the sewer network. It will be an environmental hazard and burdensome for WUC to stop the services before residents connect,” he added.
Nkaigwa also called on the government to return both services of potable and wastewater to local authorities as WUC failed to provide Batswana with appropriate services.
He added that WUC had failed dismally to deliver and it will be of great benefit to all Batswana to retain the services at local authorities that dealt with those issues much better before.