Water still a challenge in Kanye

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday October 11, 2019 12:58

As with many constituencies around the country, scarcity of water is what the electorate here would want serious and urgent political solution to.

A resident of Kanye, Lady Keaikitse also a businesswoman said the problem of water is very serious. It started in 2016 and there is no proper communication from Water Utilities Corporation (WUC).

“Water problem is affecting our businesses so badly in our restaurants. I had won a tender from government to cater for 300 people but I had to let it go because one needs to have water for him or her to cater for such number. I am forced to buy water or to ask those whose areas have water to assist me,” Keaiketse said.

Keaiketse also said what worries them more is that WUC keeps on producing high bills despite their areas having no water.  She said Kanye has really improved compared to 10 or 15 years back.

“Kanye is growing and even some big shops are coming here. We are no longer forced to go to Gaborone like before for shopping. The challenge that our youth are facing is that most of these shops get their workers through labour office, which disadvantages them.

Kanye does not have a labour office and for someone to register for employment through labour office, he/she needs to go to Lobatse. That is expensive for a youth who is not working.”

On the issue of standard of education in the area, Keaiketse said she is worried that some parents are not involved in their children’s school programs.

She stressed that the reason why some schools in the area are not doing well is because they do not have enough teaching materials. “If both teachers and parents could join hands then we could find a way of assisting some of those schools. Our children are always rumouring the streets after school, when will they have time to do their home works,” she said.

Kobamelo Moipone of Lotlhakane said her worry is that there are no tarred road in their area. “Most developments are in Kanye and therefore we are forced to go to the area for assistance.

Our villages are neglected because they fall under Kanye. We can go for months without being browsed. Those who have money do buy water.

Some politicians are now helping us with their vehicles to help us to fetch water in the nearest areas because they want us to vote for them,” Moipone said.

Chipo Kebabope said WUC had tried to provide Jojo tanks on the other side of the village but the water is still not enough.

“Residents still use pit latrines because of water shortage and again there is no water drainage. WUC is failing, we were not suffering they way we do during Water Affairs times,” Kebabope said.

For his part, Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Kanye South parliamentary candidate, Dr Lemogang Kwape said the area has historical places like Mmakgodumo, Sehalana, Leaders Burial Site amongst others that could be used to attract tourists.

“If we could take care of these places then we would be able to employ some of our youth to curb unemployment. Even our children could learn our culture if they visit those places.

The other issues is health, it is time Ministry of Health and Wellness hands over clinics to councils that could help to address the issue of shortage of medicines. We have to encourage our medical doctors to work at clinics and health posts so that our elderly people could get help nearer,” Kwape said.

He said he is aware of water shortage and the problem would be addressed according the Minster of Land management, Water and Sanitation Services.

An Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) representative Kagisano Tau said Southern District Council (SDC) has a serious shortage of funds that is why some internal roads are not paved. “SDC is big and it does not have enough money to make some of developments in the area.

Council is trying to make interlocking bricks in order to pave roads where possible. The issue of unemployment is still serious because some youth works at Ipelegeng.

I think government should consider handing over its old offices to council. Council will rent it to some of our youth who had taken government programmes. We had found out that some youth companies had collapsed because of high rentals,” Tau said.

He said there is need for Kanye to have a big hospital because Seventh Day Adventist Hospital has serious shortage of doctors. He said the hospital also experiences water shortage problem.

Another problem that Tau raised is allocation of plots, which seems to be taking years. He said some of people have been on the queue to be allocated plots for more than 10 years.

Kanye has a population of 47, 000 and 22, 164 have registered to vote in Kanye South while 19, 674 will cast  their vote in Kanye North.