13 Feb 2019

Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Ofentse Mzwinila, has commended Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCIC) for doing well in the ongoing north-south carrier pipe replacement.

In an interview after an evaluation tour from Rasesa to Mmamashia water treatment plant on February 12, Mr Mzwinila said the first shutdown was a success and the nation never experienced the anticipated water shortage during the shutdown.

He said government had been experiencing problems of projects delay, mostly caused by contractors, adding that the example set by CCIC was testimony that if committed, contractors could complete projects on time and within budget.

The minister said the purpose of his tour was to evaluate work done in the first step of the replacement of glass reinforced plastic GRP pipes with the steel ones.

Mr Mzwinila encouraged the contractor and the Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) to continue the replacement with due diligence.

He said once the project was complete, WUC would be able to supply water to the rest of southern Botswana in the likes of Good hope, Kanye, Moshupa and Molepolole, since the water volume and pressure would have increased significantly following the commissioning of pump station 4.1 located near Serorome valley.

For his part, the WUC chief executive officer, Mr Mmetla Masire, said the P440 million project would carried out in five shut down phases to minimise the impact of water supply to the greater Gaborone area and was expected to be completed in September. 

He said the contractor had completed the first stage within the stipulated 17-day period, adding that his main worry was around the Bokaa area where there was delay in relocation of residential plots, power and telecommunication lines to make way for the pipe line. 

Mr Masire, however, said he hoped that the on-going consultations between the BPC and BTC would bear fruits to enable the smooth relocation of the said infrastructure in order to pave way for the pipe line.

He said the project was progressing well and on schedule as the contractor has met the 17-day period mark.  ends