The rainy season is synonymous with the excitement of new beginnings, as earth is transformed into a green haven, and both animals on the ground and birds in the sky have plenty to feed on.
It’s a season for farmers to till the land in anticipation of the next bumper harvest.
However, for residents of Plateau ward in Kasane, prolonged rainy days bring only misery to the community.
Every year, the area ironically named Plateau turns into a floodplain as the poor storm-water drainage fails to cope with the heavy falls.
Last year, 62 houses remained waterlogged for several days, with many families losing prized possessions to the relentless rains.
This past Friday, the torrential downpours that pounded Kasane left many families cut off from the rest of the township as yards were submerged in water.
According to the District Commissioner, Nolly Moremi, who’s also the District Disaster Management Committee Chairperson, eight households were badly affected, with one family losing their roof during the storm.
“The family lost their food, but they were assisted by the social services,” she said.
Calling for drastic action, Moremi told The Voice the water problem has persisted for far too long.
“This water needs to be redirected somehow. We need a permanent solution to the problem. The area needs a good storm-water drainage system. What is there currently can’t cope with the storm water,” she explained simply.
Her sentiments were shared by the area Councillor, Boitumelo Kanyetu, who also pointed to the location’s poor drainage system.
“The area is on a slope, and the residents are at a disadvantage as they built at the end of the slope where water collects. Families lost their valuable properties. Remember we were here again last year when families experienced the same problem,” he said.
Kanyetu revealed some residents lost their certificates, furniture and food items.
“We’ve made an arrangement with the police to assist those who lost important documents to have them replaced,” he added.
Fearful of what’s to come, the councillor is especially worried as the disaster struck so early into the season, literally after the first rains.
“There’s more rain coming; we can only hope that it won’t be another storm,” he said glumly.
Kanyetu added they have proposed to the Minister of Local Government that the P10 million Constituency Fund be used to address the road and drainage system in Kazungula and Kasane.
“This will depend on what other wards think, remember this money should be shared by all the wards who also have their own needs,” he concluded.