19 Nov 2015

Minister of Transport and Communications says his ministry through Botswana Railways will next year March finally re-introduce the long awaited passenger train service to operate between Lobatse and Francistown.

Speaking at a press brief to update the media on his ministry’s performance with regards to various initiatives his ministry is undertaking, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo said the train service will be operated as night trains on a daily basis and day trains will be operated during public holidays in addition to the night service.

“The proposed passenger service train will consist of standard (economy) class, business class, sleeper (first) class and buffet coaches and the train will stop at the six proposed stations being Lobatse, Gaborone, Mahalapye, Palapye, Serule and Francistown,” he said, adding that refurbishment of these stations will be completed by December 2015. 

Mr Mabeo said his ministry is also currently engaged in the construction of several bridges which include the Kazungula, Mohembo and the Platjaan bridges.

“Construction work at the Kazungula Bridge commenced on November 5, 2014 and will end on December 6, 2018. 

The works comprise the bridge and two one-stop-border posts for Botswana and Zambia. The progress so far, stands at 4.49 per cent as against 17.7 per cent with support works almost complete,” he said, indicating that works on the temporary bridge is well underway.

He further said construction of the Mohembo Bridge is expected to commence around April 2016 for duration of thirty-six (36) months and the ministry is currently finalising the procurement process.

“As for the Platjaan Bridge that connects Botswana and South Africa across the Limpopo River, the procurement process of this bridge is at an advanced stage as the tender for construction is at adjudication stage and the construction of this bridge is expected to commence in January 2016 for duration of twenty-seven (27) months,” said Minister Mabeo.

Minister Mabeo also spoke on the construction of roads and their progress so far.

“The Ministry is currently upgrading the Tonota-Francistown road and the project entails the dualling of the 30 kilometre Tonota road as well as the expansion of the Shashe, Budumatau, Tati and Tholodi Bridges,” he said.

He said construction of a dual carriageway is on-going and currently 24.46 km road has been surfaced and  opened to traffic by end of July 2015 on the South bound carriageway (Right Hand Side) and on the North bound carriageway (Left Hand Side) only 16.81 km was surfaced and 3.0 km has been opened to traffic (Along Tholodi Bridge).

He further said the tender for the construction of the Charles Hill-Ncojane road was awarded on June 8, 2015 and the contractors have started to design and build the road while construction will commence in March 2016.

Mr Mabeo said his ministry, in partnership with the World Bank (WB) is implementing a pilot of Output and Performance-based Road Contracts (OPRCs) and is being piloted in the Southern Region road network, and covers about 335 kilometres of mainly primary and secondary roads.

“The first phase of the OPRC will cover about 123.5km of main road from Mmankgodi Junction to Kanye and then on to Jwaneng with 7 access roads covering about 52.5km of road to Lotlhakane West Kgotla, Kanye internal road (From Sejelo Police junction to Mmathethe turnoff), Moshana Kgotla, Selokolela Kgotla, Sesung Kgotla, Moshupa loop road, Moshupa Kgotla and Sese Kgotla,” said the minister.

He indicated that the second phase will cover about 144 km of main road and starts at Rakhuna A1 Junction through Tlhareseleele to Pitsane A1 Junction, then from Pitsane to Phitshane-Molopo and from Phitshane-Molopo to Mabule. 

“Phase two includes Kgotla access roads covering about 16 km road, to the following villages: Rakhuna, Tlhareseleele, Pitsane, Cwaanyaneng, Tswagare, Mokgomane, Sedibeng, Phitshane-Molopo, Leporung, Dikhukhung, Mmakgori, Tshidilamolomo and Mabule,” said Mr Mabeo.

Minister Mabeo further spoke on the fibre network and roll-out of WI-FI hotspots. He indicated that in August 2015, the use of the Sekoma to Tsabong fibre network was officially launched. 

“The completion of this project increased the national fibre backbone by a further 362km and it has connected thirteen (13) villages and two (2) border posts to the telecommunications network. 

The other two routes of Maun to Ngoma and Sehithwa to Mohembo were officially launched in September 2015 and the two  routes have connected 20 villages to the network,” he said.

With the WI-FI hotspots, Minister Mabeo said the rollout of the Wi-Fi Hotspots in Maun, Kasane and Gaborone is also complete,

“The Wi-Fi Hotspots will provide affordable broadband Internet connectivity to Batswana and the successful implementation of the project is expected to stimulate and increase broadband penetration which will lead to increased uptake of capacities on the East Africa Sub-Marine Systems and West Africa Cable System undersea cables,” he concluded. Ends