03 Jun 2013

Unlike a lot of places in Botswana where one can easily move from one point to another using public transport, Lesoma residents are not so privileged.

For as long as they can remember, their village has never had reliable public transport. The one mini bus that attempted the Lesoma-Kasane route did not last long. “We wait by the side of the road for hours especially during the day,” one resident, Chenu Simon said in an interview.

In the mornings and evenings, residents are rescued by commuters who work in Kasane, while government employees on official duties have had to be sympathetic as well by giving them rides. In some instances, residents do not get so lucky; others report that they often have to abandon their trips altogether after spending the whole day by the side of the road.

Village Development Committee (VDC) chairperson, Ms Nthusang Ernest says they are aware of the problem and have communicated with the village elders; the area councillor and the kgosi. “As far as we know, one permit was issued for our route, but nothing has come out of it,” she explains.

Ms Ernest confirms that there was an individual who did business on the route but had to stop because she felt business was slow and the roads were too bad. She further explains that the individual was not happy with the prescribed tariffs for the route given that to get to the village, one has to drive on a gravel road. As one can expect, the unavailability of public transport has come with all sorts of complications.

“One woman had to give birth at her home because there was no car to take her to the hospital in Kasane,” Ms Ernest regrets. Access to proper health care for terminally ill people and pregnant women is also a major challenge. To add to the challenge, there is no nurse who resides in Lesoma.

“The one nurse we have stays in Kazungula, so that means if we have emergencies after working hours, she is not available to help,” she explains. Kgosi Lesoma Lesoma is also aware of the challenge and what he has to do is check with the Department of Road Transport and Safety (DRTS) on applications to operate on the Lesoma-Kasane route.

“The challenge for bus operators is that there is no business in the afternoons as there is very little movement then,” he says. He also confirms that even the previous bus operator quit because business was constricted.

DRTS Kasane station manager, Mr Karabo Phuthologang says people are welcome to apply to operate on the Lesoma/Kasane route. However, he says there has been little interest shown as there is only one application in their last sitting.

“We need to have people who show interest and apply for the route, that is the only way we can help,” he says. The area councillor, Mr Baboloki Mpebe says he has met with DRTS officials and established that bus operators are not interested in the route because there is little business and the proposed bus fare is low.

“It seems the tariffs do not take cognisance of the gravel road into Lesoma,” he says. Even more disappointing is that there is no indication that tariffs for Lesoma will be revised anytime soon and the number of bus operators applying to do business in the area is not close to getting any higher.

The need for reliable transport in Lesoma, however, has become critical especially for accessing basic services such as health care. ENDS