09 Apr 2014

Numerous factors are considered when government vehicles are boarded, the Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Nonofo Molefhi has said.

He said the vehicles were boarded based on their age as set by the manufacturer as well as the mileage covered. The minister said another factor was the economical repair, when the estimated cost of repair was beyond the present value of the vehicle. 

He said the vehicle is said to be beyond economic repair when the complete estimated cost of the repairs necessary to bring the vehicle to full serviceable condition exceeds the present value of the vehicle.

“The estimated cost take into account the age of the vehicle, the history on cost of repairs and the current value of the vehicle,” he said. 

He also said if the vehicle is involved in an accident and its cost of repairs are considered high as compared to the present value of the vehicle, it is considered for boarding. 

Minister Molefhi said a vehicle can be declared obsolete if a model has been supplanted by another type and the number of vehicles remaining in the fleet is so small that it is not economic to maintain a satisfactory range of spares. 

A vehicle can also be declared obsolete if the work that the particular vehicle type performs can be more effectively performed by another vehicle at a less cost. 

Another factor, he said, is if it is difficult or impossible to obtain spares of a particular vehicle. 

The Minister further said another factor is if the cost of maintaining specialised tools and trained mechanics to repair the particular vehicle is prohibitive in relation to the work performed by the vehicle type. 

“Due to inherent design or manufacturing weaknesses which warrant the vehicle type to be unsafe to operate or in some other ways fails to meet the requirements or the statutes of the government of Botswana. 

The Minister said the policy guiding the boarding of vehicles has not been reviewed since it was drawn in 1983. 

He said the revision of the policy is being considered and will take into consideration other factors necessary for sound management of government fleet. 

He said though the policy has provided general parameters, there are exceptions to the rule where some vehicles remain active beyond the prescribed life span standard. 

Minister Molefhi was responding to a question from Shoshong MP, Mr Phillip Makgalemele who wanted to know about the broad provisions of the ministry’s policy regarding the boarding of government fleet. 

He also wanted to know when the policy was last reviewed given the current shortage of vehicles in government. Ends