12 Feb 2016

President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama says the government is constructing alternative roads to ease traffic congestion along the Gaborone-Francistown road.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Topisi yesterday, President Khama said the Tshimoyapula road was one of the roads that were under construction to ease traffic congestion on the A1 road, and that it would link the village to Serule.

He said the road would ease congestion as motorists could travel from Molepolole to Serowe and pass through Paje, Tshimoyapula and Serule to travel further to Phikwe or Francistown.

He said the road would not link Tshimoyapula and Topisi because it would not serve the purpose it was constructed for. He added that it would compel the government to source more funds to construct another road to Serule to ease traffic congestion.

He said the government was also expanding the Tonota-Francistown road to reduce traffic.
President Khama also gave 30 chairs to the kgotla, Bibles and blankets for the elderly and destitute people as well as solar lights.

He said orders for football kits have been placed, and that they would be delivered later.
The Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo said the Tshimoyapula-Serule road was being constructed through the Economic Stimulus Programme.

He said the government wants to construct alternative roads to reduce traffic congestion along the A1 road, adding that the gola was to have a road bypassing Francistown when travelling to Maun and Kasane.
Mr Mabeo further informed residents that the passenger train would start operating in March.
He said the train would only stop at Lobatse, Gaborone, Mahalapye, Palapye, Serule and Francistown.
President Khama and Mr Mabeo were responding to Kgosi Kgomotso Boiditswe of Topisi who sought clarification on the Tshimoyapula road.

Kgosi Boiditswe said he expected the road to connect to his village instead of Serule.
In addition, he raised concern over the shortage of water in his village, and also asked for the upgrading of the Topisi kgotla and health post into a clinic.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Slumber Tsogwane said he was aware that the population of Topisi hadgrown.

However, he said the government had no plans to upgrade the Topisi kgotla.
He noted that major villages such as Serowe, Molepolole and Kanye were overwhelmed because they served a larger population, adding that the government was looking into the issue.

He also said the government would build classrooms and toilets through the ESP in some villages.
However, he said the stimulus programme was flexible because other schools could also benefit even though they were not initially planned for.

He clarified that if the government planned to build 10 toilets in one school, it could alternatively build five toilets in two schools. Ends