14 Aug 2018

 Palapye business community met the Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Moiseraele Goya to discuss the way forward regarding the development of Palapye.

Mr Goya emphasised the need for the private sector and government to join hands towards the development of Palapye. He urged the Palapye business community to take ownership of the village development.

He outlined some of the development that needed to be addressed such as internal roads and dilapidated shop premises amongst others.

He said businesses situated along the A1 road should be improved and be given a facelift to match upcoming infrastructure.

The assistant minister raised a concern about the bad road that connects to Palapye industrial site, adding that the road was not to be used by big trucks. He called upon the business community to join hands and assist the government in paving the road. 

He noted that there was need to have one entrance to control traffic along the road.

Mr Goya said the tarred road that was constructed needed to be paved with durable bricks.

The business community requested that they be allowed to construct their businesses facing towards A1 road to attract more customers, adding that currently their businesses were facing the opposite direction.

They were however advised to decorate their business entrance views to look more attractive. Commenting, the business people applauded the assistant minister for finding it worthy to meet with them as they had long waited for such moment.

A representative of the industrial business communities, Mr Benjamin Masogo said they had been fighting with the Palapye Sub -district council to allow their businesses to face towards the road instead of facing the eastern side for easy access by customers.

Another business person, Mr Maine Kgopo said inter-locking bricks were not strong enough to support heavy trucks that used the road and suggested that the existing tarred road be improved to a better standard instead. 

He also talked about the thick bush surrounding the industrial site, saying it attracted criminals.

Some people wanted to know if approved, they would be allowed to develop their structures without permission from council.

For his part, Palapye Administration Authority senior assistant council secretary, Mr Lucky Maoto said council approved the layout of plans from physical planners with the advice from the central government road engineers and the request also would need to be dealt with by the central government.

Mr Maoto said they were allocated the sum of P3 million for the internal roads.

Mr Maoto also shared with them that heavy quality bricks could be used for construction of the road instead of tarring. ENDS