Member of Parliament for the Nata/Gweta Constituency Lawrence Ookeditse has spoken out against what he termed a historical injustice suffered by many settlers along the A3 road in his constituency.
Ookeditse said most of the settlers mainly from the Basarwa tribe were displaced from the Makgakgadi area when it was declared a National Park and are now a forgotten group living in the fringes of the park and Sowa town.
Debating the budget for the Ministry of Water and Human Settlement, Ookeditse said it does not make sense for residents of settlements such as Njutshaa and Tshaathoka to exist without water when there are pipelines passing through them to supply other gazetted areas.
Ookeditse further said access to water is a human right, and that Basarwa have a right to enjoy the precious life-giving liquid.
“There’s a pipeline that passes through Njutshaa, supplying Sua from Dukwi. It doesn’t take a lot to bridge it and supply people with water, another pipe from Dukwi passes through Tshaathoka to Nata, a standpipe can be created to supply these people with water,” Ookeditse said.
The legislator appealed to Minister Onneetse Ramogapi to move quickly to right the historical wrongs which have marginalised Basarwa for many years.
He further said the water crisis is also felt by residents of Sepako, Zoroga and Manxotai, who for a long time have been supplied by a water bowser.
“The problem is there’s only one water bowser for these three villages. By the time it reaches Zoroga, water in Manxotai and Sepako is already finished, and when it returns to replenish, those in Zoroga are in serious thirst,” he said.
Ookeditse, who is also the Assistant Minister of Health pleaded with the Minister to secure a second bowser, or a bigger one in order to deal with the water demand in the three areas.
