11 Apr 2016

Aliboats Boat Builders Company, which was responsible for manufacturing the Kazungula ferry bridge has refused to take the blame for the frequent malfunctioning of the pontoon resulting in huge monetary loss. 

Head of the Kasane Central Transport Organisation (CTO) Mr Philip Atlhopheng told the Chobe Dictrict Council session that the lossses amounted to  P18 000 daily when the facility was not functioning, which translated into  close to P4 million between January and August last year due to frequent breakdowns.

Aliboats company director Ms Sue Bateman,told BOPA that they did not have any maintenance contract with CTO, which operates the pontoon.

 “They do sub-contract us from time to time when the pontoon breaks down, but we have no permanent binding contract with them,” she said, adding that what they do was an annual service plan with CTO.

Ms Bateman further said that from their observation, the ferry kept on breaking down due to impacts from objects in the water and, not from mechanical malfunction.

On accusations by the councillors during a recent full council that Aliboats was illegally occupying a plot belonging to government, Ms Bateman said they were occupying the plot through permission from CTO.

“We were not given any specific period to vacate the plot, however, we will move out anytime should CTO want it back,” she countered, adding that when they asked to use the plot, it was vacant.

With regard to who paid for utilities that the company uses at the said plot, the boat manufacturer said the company paid the bills.

“Part of the agreement that came with providing the ferry was that we provide in-house training to CTO staff which we did at the time of handing over the ferry; it was a once off training and some of the officers might have been transferred,” Ms Bateman explained in response to councillors’probing.

On why it usually took long for the ferry to get fixed, the boat manager said they got parts from South Africa, which in turn sourced them from USA which manufactures them.

The civic leaders’ central gripe was that the ferry was always out of order costing government millions of pula to fix it.

Councillor for Plateau, Mr Boitumelo Kanyetu had also wondered why only one company was always engaged for maintaining the ferry when there were capable organisations and individuals who could also do the job.

He asked: “My question is, why is the pontoon always breaking down? Why don’t we engage heavy plant mechanics from CTO to fix it instead?” 

Councillor for Pandamatenga Mr Tengenyane Tuelo wanted to know how much money was being lost considering that more than half the time the ferry is not working.

Mr Atlhopheng of CTO explained to the councillors that the ferry was ensured through AON Botswana which made the process of purchasing and replacing parts take longer as the insurance company has to assess the problem before processing them.

Mr Atlhopheng also blamed the constant breakdowns to constant hitting of objects under water, noting that the ferry did not have a detector to censor objects under water.

He said they could not risk using an untrained heavy plant mechanic as the ferry was insured for millions and hence could not use ordinary mechanics to fix it.

Concerning the plot in question, Mr Atlhopheng told the full council meeting that the company had promised to vacate the plot soon.

The manufacturing of Kazungula ferry cost over P16 million. Ends