05 Jul 2017

The Minister of Transport and Communications says the contamination of the Letlhakeng Central Transport Organisation (CTO)  fuel point has been rectified.

 

Minister Kitso Mokaila informed Ntlo Ya Dikgosi that water was removed from petrol on May 24 and diesel was removed on June 5, adding that the fuel point was now operating on clean fuel.

 

He said the cleaning of the contaminated fuel was done by the fuel supplier, and that the fuel supplier required CTO to investigate how water was getting into the fuel, and to seal the area before fuel could be cleaned.

 

The minister said CTO engaged the contractor who installed the fuel tank to check where water was getting in. 

 

He said CTO, together with the supplier, found that water flooded the fuel tank re-filling manhole due to the raised surfacing of the yard to stop vehicles from getting stuck in the soft sand. 

 

He said upon availability of funds in April 2017, the level of the manhole was raised and the fuel cleaned.

 

Kgosi Itsoseng Gaoonwe of Letlhakeng region had asked the minister whether he was aware that 24 115 litres of petrol and 808 litres of diesel had been contaminated with water at the Letlhakeng CTO fuel point since January.

 

Kgosi Gaoonwe also wanted to know when the fuel point situation would be fixed.

 

Minister Mokaila also told Ntlo Ya Dikgosi that the ministry acknowledged the need to fence the road from Molepolole to Letlhakeng was about 60km. 

 

“As you might be aware, all roads that were constructed through the Rural Road Policy, including this particular one, were not fenced,” he said. 

 

He said the ministry would, however, consider fencing the roads in future based on the availability of funds. 

 

Kgosi Gaoonwe had asked if the ministry would consider fencing the Molepolole to Letlhakeng road in view of the fact that most motorists opted to use the Morwamusu junction to either connect to the Trans-Kalahari highway to avoid using the highway. ENDS