21 Sep 2017

Gaborone City Council (GCC) has removed 104 illegal billboards in the city.

Addressing GCC full council meeting this week, Mayor Kagiso Thutlwe said emerging outdoor advertising was becoming problematic, saying advertising signs both in and out of compliance with regulations and permits was becoming an eye sore in the city.

Mr Thutlwe explained that some of the illegal billboards were causing distraction to motorists, hence compromising their safety.

“It is therefore the responsibility of the council to provide effective controls for outdoor advertising,” he said.

He further explained that it was realised that billboards were mushrooming in and out of Gaborone, hence the removal plan considered the following factors; populated streets, city aesthetics and available resources.

The Mayor said the most affected streets included Nelson Mandela Highway and Old Lobatse Road, adding that most intersections along the said roads that were affected included the Station, Bull & Bush, Botswana Unified Revenue Services offices,

Bokamoso JSS, Lemmenyane and Taung. The other affected roads include K.T Motsete and the A1 (Ramatlabama/Ramakwebana) up to Mmamashia Highway.

Mr Thutlwe explained that further steps would be taken to deal with those that were legal, but not conforming to the requirements,

“I will continue to ensure that all signage including advertising are compatible with the desired visual character of the area, provides effective communication in suitable locations, and is of high quality, design and finish,” he said.

He pleaded with those breaking the law to desist from engaging in such non-compliant activities and follow the legal way of advertising.

The Mayor explained further that billboards marketing, if run professionally like in other countries, could make consistent revenue for the council.

He regretted that the billboards market advertising was dominated by foreigners, while most of Batswana were just spectators, adding that the executive committee of the council had taken a deliberate decision to radically empower Batswana, especially the

marginalised group such as women, the youth and people living with disabilities.

Regarding the Constituency Fund, Mr Thutlwe explained that it was high time that the council started creating real value in the public sector and focus on the right things that could make a difference in the people’s everyday lives.

He said P35 million for constituency projects had already been released and that the belief was that the implementation would be fast-tracked to complete projects within scheduled time frame.

Mr Thutlwe also told councillors that it was unfortunate and disturbing that the parent ministry has decided to withhold part of the funding, which amounted to P15 million.

The money was going to be given to BITRI to install street lights and we, as GCC are saying, we should be allowed to follow our procurement and tendering procedures for accountability to avoid corruption,” he said.

He wondered why such amount of money from 57 constituencies was given to one company, adding that the standing resolution of the council was to get its P15 million back.

Regarding the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP), the mayor explained that over P15 million had been approved for new Khuduga Primary School in Gaborone.

He said tender for the construction of the thee-story teachers flat at Khuduga Primary School was closed this month  while tender for classroom and ablution blocks was closed last month and was under evaluation.

He said last year’s backlog eradication under the ESP was undertaken at Boswa, Ithuteng and Masa primary schools and that most works were fully completed except for the three-storey teacher’s houses at Block 8 and electrification of classroom and ablution blocks at Boswa Primary School.

He said the contractor had been granted extension of time with a new revised completion date.

The mayor complained about the level of compliance to development code and building control, which he said was also unbecoming.

He said there was a mushrooming of illegal construction of boundary walls in Gaborone and appealed to community members to comply with the law, failing which they should submit retrospective applications. BOPA