01 Mar 2016

Telecommunications or Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) are the key enablers for socio-economic development of any individual, community, country and indeed the world in general. 

This was said by Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo in Parliament on Monday when acknowledging that non-availability of mobile communications hampers service delivery in Ngwatle, a village in the Kgalagadi North and others that are not connected to mobile networks.

He however told Parliament that BTCL does not have immediate plans in the 2016/17 financial year to provide mobile coverage in Ngwatle. He further explained that the operators review their network deployment plans annually to consider places that they would cover in that year, with emphasis on commercial viability of the area.

MP for Kgalagadi North, Mr Itumeleng Moipisi, had wanted to know if the minister was aware that Ngwatle was the only village in Kgalagadi North that does not have beMOBILE network coverage despite providing government services through the school, clinic and Kgotla. Ends