For the last four years, Botswana’s economy has performed below optimal levels as a result of disruptions in electricity supply that according to some estimates has led many companies, especially SMEs to go belly up.
Many companies were forced to buy backup generators.
This raised operational cost. Even then only a few companies, mainly those that are financially strong could afford costs that come with backup contingencies.
While the truth of the matter is that compared to two years ago the situation has somewhat stabilised, the truth of the matter is that as a country we are still very much not out of the woods yet.
And from the look of things it would be a while before we arrive in the promised land of self-sufficiency in power supply.
This is not the time to point figures.
But going forward we need to look at diversifying our power sources.
We should look at all the options, including renewable energy.
The country that has always loyally come to our rescue, South Africa is itself currently reeling under enormous stress of electricity shortages. And from the look of things, for them the future has never been bleaker.
While we have a standing contract with the South Africans to continue supplying us with energy, the truth of the matter is that such contract is only worth the paper it is written on if South Africa itself has electricity to supply.
The good thing about South Africa is that they have institutions that are very robust.
As a result authorities in that country are put on the straight and narrow to be transparent in their dealings with the public.
That is why Government in that country has continually updated the public on the latest state of energy supply in that country.
Such a dialogue has to a very large degree avoided a situation of surprise and shock.
It has also allowed businesses and indeed households to plan, well armed with reliable information on what to anticipate. As it is, Botswana does not have such strong structures to push authorities to share information with the public.
In fact consumers in Botswana are left to extrapolate what the situation might be in the next few months based on what information they are able to stitch together from South African sources.
Batswana are no better off in the knowledge of what situation obtains in Morupule B, the power station that is at the centre of the crisis.
The situation would not be so if our authorities could without any pestering find the wisdom of always keeping the public on the loop.
Has the station stabilised to an extent that it is fully functional?
How many units if any are not working?
Are there still outstanding issues that the Government has to resolve with the contractors?
This is a small set of the many questions that Government should from time to time be answering without any goading from the media.
For Botswana, the issue of electricity is only half the story. There is now the growing water emergency crisis.
Owing to weak rains, especially in the southern parts of the country, water is already a big issue.
As fate would have it, the southern part of the country is where the demand is greatest and also where there is much economic activity to support the country.
Many of the dams in the north have more water than the country could ever need.
The trouble though is that of infrastructure to carry water from the north down south.
From a distance, it is becoming apparent even to an outsider that the country is headed for the biggest water shortage in years.
Once again it would be immensely helpful if authorities could improve their communications on this matter to avoid a shock situation.
We call on government to be more engaging in its communication with the public on water and electricity situation.
This could go a long way in avoiding finger pointing when things come to a head as they sure will in a few months time.
