27 Jan 2025

Kgalagadi North MP, Mr Reason Lekutlane has appealed to residents of Zutswa to remain hopeful as the government is steadfast in addressing the crisis of water shortage in the constituency.

Mr Lekutlane said this when responding to grievances about water shortage in the village during a recent Kgotla meeting.

Expressing displeasure about the water situation in their village, residents  urged their Member of Parliament to expedite the plan to normalise the situation.

The MP thus implored residents to have hope, explaining that claims of tender irregularities which caused the Ncojane-Hukuntsi Water Supply Project to be temporarily halted were now being addressed in court.

He said the matter was at an advanced stage of court proceedings and awaiting final decision, which may be made within two months. Mr Lekutlane admitted that the situation had caused a significant setback in ensuring an adequate water supply for Zutswa residents and the entire Kgalagadi population.

He noted that, when implemented, the P38 million project would supply 10 villages in Ghanzi South and Kgalagadi North with water from Ncojane well fields. Mr Lekutlane shared that Zutswa stood to benefit from the projects, citing other villages in his constituency, including Lehututu, Lokgwabe, Hukuntsi, Ncaang, Monong and Maake.

Although budgetary constraints were a challenge, he told residents that he regularly consulted with the respective minister to ensure the projects was operational.

“We need this project to succeed in addressing the increasing water demand in our constituency; the current water bowing plans are inefficient and unreliable,” he said.

To effectively tackle the poor condition of the access road to Hukuntsi from the surrounding settlements, residents hope the much anticipated Ncojane-Hukuntsi tarred road will be a constructive solution that will significantly enhance access to their villages. 

They said this development presented an opportunity for improved connectivity and community growth. The road is currently in the design stage and the MP promised to solicit its construction funds at the next sitting of parliament.

Mr Lekutlane shared that he had consulted with the Minister of Transport and Public Works to prioritise the construction of this road.

He said the road could connect other villages, including Hunhukwe. He also advanced that the road would pass through villages within the constituency, including Ncaang and Monong and would have alternative junctions to connect to other villages, such as Ukhwi and Maake.

Mr Lekutlane noted that constructing this road would develop transport businesses, adding that good road infrastructure would attract investors to the districts.

“We need this road as it will help revitalise our economy, not just as a district but as a country. It will help create and increase employment in the country since there will now be accessible roads linking tourists with entry points towards Kalahari Trans-Frontiers,” he said.

He noted that his priority included electrifying villages in his constituency, adding that household electricity was no longer a luxury but a basic need.

In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Alfonse Molefele of Hunhukwe pleaded for the tarring of Hunhukwe-Lehututu road, saying the current road was in a bad state of use as it was sandy.

Mr Molefele said that lives had been lost due to the condition of this road.

Kgosi Molefele also requested that his office be elevated so that a deputy kgosi position could be created. He said this would ensure that Morafe was not left in the lurch while he was away on leave. ENDS