16 Nov 2016

Mr Kumbulani Freddy, 34, says his attempts to run a public transport between Gudigwa and Shakawe villages in the Okavango Sub-district were frustrated within months due to the poor road system in the area.

“I was disappointed when my business collapsed before it could take off although I knew in advance that eventually it would come to that,” said Mr Freddy, a school teacher at Gudigwa Primary School.

He said he threw his new combi onto the gravel road in March 2016 with a mission to relieve people the burden of walking long distances for lack of public transport and also to make money for himself but the combi was off the road within five months. 

He said the driver, recruited locally from Gudigwa to make three trips every week, complained of exhaustion with every trip.

Besides the poor roads, some passengers had the tendency of avoiding to pay bus fare just because they knew and were friends with him as he has worked in the village since 2014.

“I wanted to help but some people pulled me down; I know life in remote areas is difficult and different but people should pay for services rendered so the cycle continues,” said the Mulambakwena-born educator.

Senior Chief’s Representative Kgosi Maedze Maedze of Seronga said the road had been in a bad state for too long now and has made people’s lives difficult as it gets worse by the day

 During the rainy season, it is hard to travel or worse still, there is no travelling at all, said the traditional leader, adding that it is hard for people in his area to do business as transportation is a big challenge.

“People’s vehicles get worn out quickly and people are scared to ride cars during the wet period; usually there are no cars on the road which forces people to walk long distances to their desired destinations,” he said.

He said walking such distances through bushes where dangerous animals roam was a risky affair and people’s lives are in danger although they are forced by circumstances to do so. 

Kgosi Maedze said they had pleaded with the government to regularly grade the road but the situation is not getting any better even with government’s efforts.

 He said their area was naturally beautiful with the perennial Okavango River, a variety of striking wildlife and plant species standing out as important tourist attractions.

He said the poor road also made public servants reluctant to work in the area, adding that the tarring of the road and construction of culverts had remained in the pipeline for ages.

He pleaded with the government to do something about the road to make life easier for travellers bound for Shakawe and beyond for other services that are not available in the area. 

“The state of the road is demoralizing because where we get services is far and this kind of road can turn your life upside down, something better should be done,” he added. 

Adding her voice, Ms Keipegetse Simon, of Tobera village in the same area, appealed to responsible authorities to heed their prayers, saying they relied mostly on kind government drivers who understand their situation. 

She added that sometimes they were forced to sleep at strange places because it can take days to get a ride; for instance, Ms Simon says recently it took her two days to visit the hospital in Shakawe. 

On youth not using government initiatives, she said a lot of them throw in the towel faster because of travelling back and forth without being helped. BOPA