06 Mar 2013

A majority of MPs have decried the poor state of roads around the country.

Debating the Ministry of Transport and Communications budget requests in Parliament on March 5, Letlhakeng East MP, Mr Liakat Kablay said roads in his constituency were in a bad state and maintenance was done after a long time.

 He noted that there was only one road from Molepolole to Morwamosu while other villages were not connected to the road network. MP Kablay also called on the ministry to construct a testing centre in Letlhakeng to assist those who wanted to acquire driver’s licences.

 He said there was shortage of public transport for residents and called for the grading of the Moshaweng Road.

The MP for Shoshong, Mr Phillip Makgalemele said that the ministry should resolve the shortage of vehicles in government departments in areas such as Mokgenene and Kodibeleng.

 He also encouraged the minister to adopt the fleet management system and work with private companies that were willing to assist with their specialised expertise. He however welcomed the merger of BotswanaPost Services and the Botswana Savings Bank.

The MP for Kweneng East, Maj. Gen. Moeng Pheto called on the ministry to return the responsibility of roads to councils as the ministry was failing to maintain them.

Contributing to the debate, the MP for Serowe North East, Mr Dikgakgamatso Seretse mentioned that when roads in his constituency were taken over from councils, they had high hopes but noted that nothing had happened since then.

 He also decried the fact that the Palapye/Serowe Road had no speed humps within the village which posed a danger to children and other pedestrians as drivers resort to speeding.

 The MP for Chobe, Mr Gibson Nshimwe thanked the minister for the Nata/Kazungula Road project and the Kazungula Bridge. He pleaded with the minister to improve the Kasane transport office which he said was too small and old.

Mr Nshimwe noted that though Nteletsa II was a welcome development, the kitsong centres were not working. He also urged the transport ministry to give priority to the agriculture and health ministry to resolve transport problems.

 The MP for South East South, Mr Odirile Motlhale complained that the Ramotswa/Boatle Road maintenance finishing was of poor quality as the road was uneven.

 He called on the minister to ensure that another layer was provided on the road so that it could last.

MP Motlhale explained that the plan for the Gaborone/Boatle dual carriage way should be given priority when allocating funds as it was of great economic significance.

 He also urged the minister to empower local business people by awarding them tenders to act as middlemen in the procurement of fuels and lubricants for the ministry. ENDS