Criminals hit at nine boreholes

Efforts by the Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) to rehabilitate nine boreholes in Ramotswa are being frustrated by unscrupulous criminals.

They have turned the nine boreholes into a gold mine where they harvest cables and various components of the boreholes. These are the boreholes whose water will be blended with water from Gaborone Dam. The water at these boreholes falls within Class 1 and have certain levels of nitrate. The level of nitrate at five of these boreholes falls within allowable limits. A tentative amount of P13 million will be used in the blending project. On Thursday WUC organised a media tour to some of the badly affected boreholes particularly those outside the village.

At one of these boreholes, named Sediba 2, the criminals have harvested almost anything that has value. The criminals even appear to be knowledgeable about electricity, as they are not even afraid to explode Botswana Power Corporation transformers. Appearing as if they have all the time in the world, the criminals allegedly tripped the electrical fence at some of the seven badly affected boreholes by using a long rod. According to Seonyatseng Maruping, the Project Engineer at WUC, the criminals make their hits once they realise that there is some activity at the boreholes. She pointed out to holes that had been dug out as they excavated cables and skinned them right there at the boreholes in order to take copper.

They take their time to do this. “As you can see, they are not even afraid to make fire here since they work at night,” she said.  She also said that the stolen components have been replaced at some of the affected boreholes.

The exercise to refurbish and restore the boreholes is expected to end in November. WUC is now intending to re-look at ways of protecting these boreholes including engaging security company to guard them. Apart from the Ramotswa boreholes, as shortage of water in the southern part of the country reaches an alarming rate, WUC is also in the process of re-commissioning Malotwane and Rasesa boreholes in order to augment water supply to Mochudi. WUC is also seeking expropriation of private boreholes in water stressed areas in order to supply the public. Other measures that are underway include commissioning disused boreholes in Manyana and Mmankgodi in order to reduce pressure on Gaborone Dam.