Fire scare at Ntlo ya Dikgosi
Oarabile Mosikare | Wednesday June 24, 2015 17:00
A fire alarm rang at 10:30am after the morning break at the Ntlo ya Dikgosi sitting. Instead of resuming business as usual after the break, dikgosi, their staff and invited guests were prevented from entering the building as the Fire Brigade was awaited to attend to the incident.
Firefighters allowed people to enter the building at about 11:45am, after discovering that there was no fire. Meanwhile, the Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Kitso Mokaila told dikgosi that government is aware of the water problems affecting the villages of Shakawe, Mohembo East and Sepopa.
He said the troubles were caused by a slow sand filtration treatment plant, which was unable to meet the area’s current water demands, and needed upgrading.
Upgrading was conceived in 2007 with designs completed in 2008, he said.
“However due to the economic meltdown, construction was deferred indefinitely pending availability of funds.
“The project was resuscitated in 2013 and a consultant was engaged to carry out design audit, tender management and construction supervision,” Mokaila told Ntlo ya Dikgosi.
The minister said the project entails construction of a rapid sand filtration water treatment to increase treated water production capacity. This in turn is expected to meet the area’s demand up to 2035.
The project will cover Nxamasere, Nxomokao, Okhutse, Samochina, Xhauga, Mohembo West and Shaikarawe and will also include the construction of a transmission pipeline to transfer treated water.