21 Aug 2024

North West District Commissioner, Mr Thabang Waloka has called for the suspension of all abstractions from the Thamalakane River and its tributaries of Gomoti, Boro, Nhabe and Boteti respectively.

This decision has been met with approval from some traditional leaders, who have expressed their support for the measure in light of ongoing flooding issues in the area.

The call for the suspension came after a growing outcry from local leaders and community members concerned about the environmental impact of excessive water extraction.

Many have noted that while some sources continued to be affected by annual floods, the health of the Thamalakane River has become a pressing concern that requires immediate attention.

The district commissioner’s decision reflects a commitment to sustainable water management and aims to balance the needs of the community with the preservation of vital water resources.

As the local community grapples with the ramifications of flooding, leaders hope that this suspension will contribute to the river’s recovery and long-term sustainability.

In an interview, Matlapana deputy chief, Kgosi Kebatho Kesekile, welcomed the decision considering the impacts of unsustainable abstraction on water sources.

“When the river receives the annual floods, members of the community celebrate because they know that their economic activities will bounce back but it was worrying as some companies frustrated them by sourcing water to undertake some developmental projects,” he added.

From the water sources, they ventured into various activities such as fishing, Molapo Farming along the river while some made a living out of mokoro excursions.

Kgosi Kesekile further explained that in the previous years, the river used to receive high inflows but because of the impacts of climate change, things had changed as of recent, the river received low inflows, which could not last long to benefit the community.

Meanwhile, Mr Waloka pointed out that the situation called for an urgent action considering that the water sources were just receiving the inflows and some companies were already spotted drawing water hence the need to appeal to the public to desist from water abstractions..

However, the district commissioner said  the suspension excluded  abstractions for domestic use and watering livestock.

Of recent, Mr Waloka said the river had been experiencing low flows due to low rainfall and the prevailing drought conditions in the river basin, adding that the hydrologic experience showed that no more flows could be expected this year, therefore, it was considered important to put in place water security measures to safeguard the available water in the light of scarcity.

He also decried illegal sand mining saying there was a growing demand for sand sourced from rivers saying this had impacted negatively on the environment.

He warned those affected to stop the practice noting that stringent measures would be taken to save the precious resource from illegal mining. ENDS