13 Jun 2019

Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) has constructed 18 houses in Tonota for purchase or rent by government departments and interested parties.

Addressing Tonota Sub-district council meeting, BHC regional director - North, Ms Bridget Mtonga said the project constructed at the tune of P12.2 million was done by Construction and Civil Botswana.

She said the project, which consisted of 12 double storeys  and six stand-alone houses, encountered problems during the commencement stage and they had to intervene, noting that they engaged the contactor to map out how they could assist as the project was behind schedule.

She said at the moment construction of two flats had been started and the boundary wall that separates the flats and the stand alone houses was ongoing.

She noted that although the project had been delayed by 24 weeks and expected to be complete by the end of the year, their intention was to assist all Batswana contractors.

The intension, she said, was to sell or rent the houses to any government institution in Tonota, citing that renting would also be allowed.

For his part, quality assurance officer Mr Tefo Gaogane said they were constructing 37 Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) houses for the year 2018/19 in Tonota, Serowe North, and Shashe West.

In the Tonota constituency they are constructing 19 houses, Serowe North six, Shashe West 10.

He said 11 houses were behind schedule and expected to be complete by end of July.

In response, the councillors said lowest bidders had a tendency to delay implementation citing financial problems.

As such they said tendering or evaluating processes should be re-looked into.

In responce BHC promised that they would, in future, intensify supervision to avoid delay of projects. ENDS