24 Jan 2018

Member of Parliament for Shashe West Mr Fidelis Molao has urged residents of Mathangwane who have been compensated to pave way for Mandunyane/Mathangwane road to relocate before action is taken against them.

Addressing a kgotla meeting recently in Mathangwane, Mr Molao also Assistant Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology said it might have taken long for the project to commence but that did not give those compensated to relax and not relocate to their new plots.

He noted that with them having delayed until to date when the project is about to start, possibility of some of them having squandered the compensation money is very high.

However, he stressed that such will not be an excuse for those persons to resist being moved.

He explained that such people will be forced to vacate even when they are not ready to do so because they have been given ample time to relocate.

Updating on the process of the projects, one of them called Francistown bypass road, he pointed out that to date the design audit is about to be completed by the end of this month.

The actual project he said will commence in the new financial year of 2018/2019.

He nonetheless noted that there might be some changes from the original design which may include a new route.

However such changes should not confuse the residents as everything is being taken care of.

The project he further explained, will be undertaken through the Economic Stimulus Programme and is expected to be completed next year.

Mr Molao therefore appealed to the community to welcome the development adding that although there might be some challenges which come with the projects, they should not only look at the negative but consider the positives which will come with the road.

He explained with the bypass aimed at reducing traffic in Francistown, the residents should however be on the lookout for high volumes of traffic mainly of heavy trucks.

On other updates, Mr Molao informed the residents that in the new financial year there is going to be an allocation for maintenance of schools across the country.

This, he said follows their tours as Cabinet ministers inspecting the status of schools last year.

“There will be a mass maintenance of schools because many are in a bad state and need to be refurbished,” he said.

Furthermore, he also updated them that their clinic is also going to be upgraded during 2018/19 financial year adding that in all these projects they are going to need their input as the community to ensure that they commence and complete on time as per the budget.

Meanwhile the residents have complained that their village is one of the biggest and oldest but development does not match its category of a big village.

In addition, they noted that so far with the proposed bypass road which they have been waiting for for over a decade, they have suggested that it includes internal roads and streets lights so that it becomes a package to avoid long time waiting again for such request which can be done in one package. Ends