17 Mar 2016

A plea for better roads in respective constituencies was on Wednesday a prevailing issue among many Members of Parliament when debating the Ministry of Transport and Communications 2016/17 budget proposals.

A considerable number of legislators appealed to the minister responsible to consider constructing or upgrading roads in various areas of the country as they are many poor roads are a challenge to respective communities.

Mathethe-Molapowabojang MP, Dr Alfred Madigele requested that an access road into Molapowabojang be constructed, noting that Molapowabojang was a big village with a population of more than 10 000 people.

He said the minister should at least consider a loop of 10km access road into the village for better services in the area.

Dr Madigele also advised that a road from Kgoro village through Gathwane and Molapowabojang be constructed as that would mean a short distance to Kanye; hence efficient execution of the south east district services.

He also mentioned that the Jwaneng-Maokane road should be tarred as it links many villages in the south east.

He however pointed out that the ministry’s Output and Performance based Road Contracting (OPRC) method that was introduced to help with road maintenance was slow in implementation of works.

Kanye South MP, Mr Abram Kesupile also complained about the OPRC that there was no tangible outcomes by this method in his area.

He however requested that a road that goes through Seherelela to Tsonyane, Lobutse, Lohoko to Maokane-Jwaneng be tarred.

The MP also said the Kanye-Masoke-Tlapaneng was not in a proper state to travel by vehicles; hence he also pleaded with the minister to consider tarring the road.

He said such state of roads even made it difficult for the south east district council to fully service people in those areas.

The issue of bad roads was also a concern to the Goodhope Mabule MP, Kgosi Lotlamoreng II, who wanted the Phitshane-Molopo-Mabule road to be constructed.

He also said that there was a road that, if tarred, people in the Borolong area would be happy and will never complain about roads again, and that was the Borobadilepe-Mokatako road.

Kgosi Lotlamoreng II said this road would make life easier for his people as it goes through all villages in the Borolong area.

Still on the issue of roads, the Lentsweletau-Mmopane MP, Mr Vincent Seretse said the Molepolole-Lentsweletau road was a very important road.

He said the road extends to Medie, Mahalapye, Shoshong up to the north, adding that if upgraded it could de-congest the A1 road.

Mr Seretse also said another road that the minister should take into consideration was that from Lentsweletau connecting villages such as Mahetlwe and Hatsalatladi to Shoshong.

Another MP, Mr Shawn Ntlhaile also pleaded with the minister to earnestly look into the Jwaneng-Mabutsane situation of roads.

He noted that the Mahotshwane-Mabutsane road was in a bad state and thus needed to be tarred.

Mr Ntlhaile also noted that roads such as the Khakhea-Mabutsane could help increase the tourism in such areas; hence he requested that it also be tarred.

Kgalagadi-North MP Mr Itumeleng Moipisi also decried the unpleasant situation of a road that is 200 km stretch, and it is a sandy and gravel road.

He said the road is from Hukuntsi to Ukwe and therefore pleaded with the minister to consider it in his budget. Ends