28 Jan 2025

Minister of Water Resources and Human Settlements, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi, has assured residents of Tonota that their long-standing water shortage will soon be addressed. 

Speaking during a kgotla meeting yesterday, Mr Ramogapi acknowledged the village’s persistent water woes, a problem he said his ministry is actively working to resolve.

One major contributing factor, the minister explained, was the aging water infrastructure, including old pipes dating back to the era of the Department of Water Affairs, which significantly reduces water pressure. 

However, Mr Ramogapi said a significant obstacle was the substantial amount of unpaid water bills. 

He revealed that Tonota owed a staggering P275 million in outstanding payments. This debt is broken down as follows: businesses – P27 million; council – P4 million; domestic users – P126 million; and central government – P117 million. 

Despite this significant debt, the minister announced the government's commitment to subsidising water bills by 30 per cent. 

However, he expressed concern that this reduction may not be enough to incentivise consistent payments, noting a history of non-payment even with existing subsidies. 

He appealed to residents, businesses, and government departments to prioritise payment of their water bills, emphasising the importance of responsible water management and the sustainability of the water infrastructure. 

The MP for Tonota, Mr Gaefele Sedombo, told the residents that the construction of a primary hospital and a new primary school in Tonota West had been suspended due to irregularities in the tendering processes. 

Mr Sedombo explained that the government, upon discovering irregularities in the awarding of tenders for the projects, made the decision to suspend construction pending a full investigation. 

However, Mr Sedombo offered some reassurance regarding the construction of a new fire station in Tonota, which remains on track and will commence immediately upon securing the necessary funding. 

The chairperson of the Umbrella Tonota Village Development Committee, Mr Keletso Gabotwesepe, decried the alarming rise in substance abuse among the village's youth. Mr Gabotwesepe painted a grim picture of a generation struggling with addiction. 

He added that some young people were hallucinating as a result of excessive drug use. 

He called for increased police presence and collaborative efforts between the VDC, community leaders, and relevant government agencies to tackle this growing crisis. ENDS