By ‘Majirata Latela
The community of Patising in Mokhotlong has finally had their problem of water solved. This is after Letšeng diamond mine completed the project of constructing boreholes for the village at Pae-la-Itlhatsoa area in Mokhotlong.
Through its Corporate Social Responsibility and Investment programme, Letšeng has built a borehole water pump, from which the 20 households at Patising draw water for domestic use.
The Patising village is located on the banks of Khubelu River, about 10km from Letšeng Diamond Mine. The villagers depend on natural wells and springs for drinking water.
Back in 2014, the mine erected a solar-powered water scheme, in which water was drawn from the Khubelu River, treated, and stored in a reservoir, and then supplied to the villagers through standpipes.
The water scheme was damaged early this year during heavy rains, along with other community projects such as footbridges, which the mine had done for the Pae-la- Itlhatsoa community. The total cost of the project was M476,000.
