03 Jul 2014

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Peter Siele, says he is not aware that Gaborone City Council (GCC) made an undertaking a year ago to remove a heap of building waste sand next to plot 23581 in Phase 4. 

Responding to a question from Gaborone West South MP, Mr Botsalo Ntuane, Mr Siele said GCC conducted an inspection at the said plot on October 17, 2013 and the plot owner was served with notice on the same day to have the waste soil removed.

However, he said in January 2014 the owner of the plot paid P1 500 to GCC for the removal of 10 loads of waste sand which were subsequently collected. 

“The plot owner was advised to make additional payments if they needed GCC to clear the remaining waste sand, but up to date the waste sand remains on site,” he added.

On June 28, 2014, Mr Siele said GCC discussed with the plot owner to remove the waste sand and in accordance with the Waste Management Act, the Council was in the process of issuing a notice for removing the remaining sand. 

Failure to comply, he said would lead to instituting legal measures to compel the plot owner to remove the waste sand or the Council shall remove the same at the plot owner’s cost.

“Contractors are not allowed to leave construction sites without clearing them.

However, the onus lies on the plot owner to ensure that waste sand has been cleared,” Mr Siele said.
Furthermore, Minister Siele said clearing the site was one of the conditions for issuance of an occupation permit and therefore, non-compliance would result in non-issuance of the occupation permit.

Where all efforts to amicably resolve the matter failed, he said the Council would seek an order compelling the plot owner to clear the waste sand. 

Mr Ntuane had asked Mr Siele if he was aware that the GCC made an undertaking more than a year ago to remove a heap of building material rubble next to plot 23581 in Phase 4.

The Gaborone West South MP also wanted the minister to state when the waste sand would be removed, whether contractors were allowed to leave construction sites without clearing them and what action was taken against contractors who left construction sites without clearing them. ENDS