Bobonong — Residents of this village have been told that the construction of Thune Dam is expected to commence in February 2010.

Speaking at a Kgotla meeting last week, the Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, said Thune Dam will be the fourth largest dam in the country with a water holding capacity of 90 million cubic litres.

The largest dam in the country is Dikgathong with 400 million cubic litres. Gaborone Dam comes second with 144 million cubic litres and Letsibogo is the third largest with 90 million cubic litres.

Kedikilwe said that the project is envisaged for completion by 2012. The dam will supply water to Tsetsebjwe, Bobonong, Mathathane, Lepokole, Mothabaneng, Molalatau and Tshokwe. Kedikilwe told the meeting that the dam is expected to bring life to the Bobirwa region.

The funds for the project have been released and there was no way it could fail, Kedikilwe assured ululating villagers. He apologised that the cost of the project couldn't be revealed at the moment because companies are currently bidding and tenders will be opened in September.

He stated that they want to avoid the situation that happened in Morupule were another company complained of being cheated. He said the project will create jobs for the residents of this area.

"We are currently investigating if there are any historic sites and we have established that there are fourteen graves at the site of the construction. Only eight graves will be exhumed," he said. The minister explained that the dam will not affect the other graves because they are in the higher ground. He added that the graves, which will be left, will be fenced.

Kedikilwe told the residents that exhumation will be done at the cost of the government and there will be no compensation. He also mentioned that exhumation will start on June 3 and the remains would be buried in June 4 and 5.

He added that his ministry has engaged pastors to provide counselling to relatives of the bodies that will be exhumed. One of the residents, Sediba Robert, complained that developments in the area are always held up. He doubted that the construction of the dam might not start especially at this time of the global economic meltdown. He called upon the government to make sure that the project goes ahead as planned.

Small Israel said villagers were only aware of three graves but were now surprised to learn that there were now more graves than anticipated.

Keobokile Matlho complained that the commencement date of the project was just too far. He said the youth in the village were hungry for jobs and the government must find a way of bringing the date closer.