25 Jun 2015

Gaborone City Council (GCC) and the roads department, intends to improve road traffic management as a way of improving traffic flow especially during peak hours.

Speaking at a full council this week, GCC mayor, Councillor Kagiso Thutlwe said there was an on-going Botswana Integrated Transport projects co-funded by government and the World Bank.

“The tender documents to procure the contractor to carry out the detailed design and upgrading of traffic signals with installation of centralised traffic control (CTC) have been completed and it is expected to be floated by the end of June 2015,” he said, adding that it is estimated that the upgrading of the traffic signals and installation of CTC will take 30 months.

He indicated that thereafter, the contractor would continue with operation and maintenance of the project for the next 60 months.

Councillor Thutlwe further said another tender to provide maintenance services on the entire existing traffic signaling system in greater Gaborone has been prepared, evaluated and awaiting award.

He said the maintenance contract shall run from the date of award until the contracting entity that will design and install the new system takes over individual intersections for construction purposes.

He said the contractor shall be required to undertake routine and preventative maintenance tasks as well as replacement of components as part of emergency repairs.
“The plan is to float tender documents in July and award is expected around September 2015,” he said.

Speaking on the upgrading of the three roundabouts (Rainbow, BTV, GameCity) into interchanges, Gaborone’s own “spaghetti” junctions, Mr Thutlwe said these intersections have been identified as bottlenecks to traffic flow.

“Our consultant has submitted the conceptual design report with recommendation for the preferred option. Once the optimal design option has been approved by the client, the consultant shall prepare the bidding documents for implementation of the intersection,” he said, adding that the planned date of tendering is October 2015 and award is expected three months later.

Speaking on other issues, Mr Thutlwe said regarding the design, supply, installation, commissioning and maintenance of the street lights at Central Business Centre (CBD), the contract between council and the contractor had been signed in April 2015 and the construction site has been handed over to the contractor.

He further said council is in the process of outsourcing their public toilets and tender bids for six of the facilities have recently been evaluated and will soon be awarded to successful bidders.

Councillor Thutlwe said council currently operates fifteen blocks of toilet facilities situated in different areas across the city and some of them will soon be in private hands.

Speaking on welfare and other social issues that GCC continues to assist in, Mr Thutlwe said presently there are 1 725 beneficiaries assisted under different social safety nets.

“There are 167 destitute persons, 1059 orphans, 417 needy students, 47 children in need of care and 35 community home based patients,” he said, adding that the number has increased from 1648 to 1725 indicating a 4.7 per cent rise.

He further indicated that Gaborone has been allocated P19, 685, 550.00 for the implementation of 140 Ipelegeng projects in five constituencies.

He said 30 vegetation controls, 30 roads sweeping and cleaning of public facilities, 30 litters picking, 30 desalting of storm water drains, two constructions of storm water drains, three paving of roads, construction of toilets, de-bushing, three construction of guard houses, construction of boundary wall, six fencing of facilities and installation of gate and six paving of facilities.

He further indicated that all 1078 plots at Tsholofelo East that were given to council in October 2012 have been allocated and currently the waiting list stands at 21 000. Ends