13 Jan 2020

The oldest bridge in the Maun area, situated at Matlapana, a village about 10km from Maun has been renovated.

The refurbishment project, which is being facilitated by the Department of National Museum and Monuments started around April 2019, was supported by Kavango ZambeziTrans frontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) with financial assistance from the German government and KfW foundation at about P2.2 million.

The Old Matlapana Bridge has historic significance in that it was the first crossing point by foot or ox wagons connecting Maun and nearby villages across the Thamalakane River such as Shorobe, Makalamabedi,  according to Kgosi Kebatho Kesekile of Matlapana village.

According to Kgosi Kesekile, the ‘Old Bridge’ as commonly known, was made by mophane and palm tree logs and some gravel by community members in the late 1920s.

The recent renovations of the bridge therefore came at an opportune time since the bridge was worn out and posed a danger to people, especially children, he opined.

However, the bridge has previously underwent renovations through some company in the 1940s and yet other renovations around 1978, according to official of the Department of National Museum and Monuments. 

Kgosi Kesekile said the bridge would once again be safe to use and preserved for future generations to come as a historical monument.

The bridge was abandoned for many years as Maun Senior Secondary School bridge had taken centre stage, catering for both small and big vehicless, he noted.

Initially, he observed that the people of Maun used some rocks (matlapana in vernacular) found a few kilometres from the Old Matlapana Bridge before the bridge was built.

He therefore said Matlapana village itself came into existence as late as the 1970s, and had since so grown that it had a headman of arbitration, who had other wards as Sedie, Old and New Disana under his wing.

According to Matlapana Trust chairperson, Mr Baphutholodi Kgari, revamping the old bridge would help preserve it as a monument as well as benefit the trust, which is at infancy stage, with only two years of existence.

The hope is to develop a plot adjacent to the old bridge into a resting place that the trust will charge fees for entrants as well as charge a fee for people who cross or take photos by the bridge.

Nonetheless, he said Matlapana locals who use the bridge regularly would be exempted after consultations with the community.

One Matlapana resident, Mr Sam Saokwa in an interview appreciated the renovations at the Maun Old Bridge since the bridge was totally worn out. 

He observed that the Old Bridge attracted locals and visitors alike as a historical monument, for fishing or hanging out, especially when Thamalakane River was flowing and for its cold breeze.

Meanwhile, the Department of National Museum and Monuments official in Maun Mr Ompabaletse Baitseseng said that the Old Matlapana Bridge was significant in that it aided trade as the only crossing point across the Thamalakane River from the northern side.

“People crossed by foot or with dikoloi tsa kgothokgotho (ox wagon) to get goods in the southern part of the country, especially Mafikeng, where goods such as tea, hides and ostrich egg shells were sourced for trading,” he said.

Owing to the architectural creativity of the people who traditionally built the bridge with mophane and palm tree logs, which are long to prevent corrosion, he said that the Old Matlapana Bridge was listed as a national monument to be protected by the Monument and Relics Act of 2001.

The plan to revive the bridge, which was dilapidated, began in 2014 by the National Museum and Monuments who engaged the community and other stakeholders, he said.

Mr Baitseseng noted that the refurbishment project, which was awarded Genous Venture trading as Fair Price contractor and WAPS Architects completed in December 2019.

Once in operation, he said Old Matlapana Bridge is hoped to be of economic benefit to the Matlapana community through their trust.

The phase II project of the bridge will see erection of resting places and barbeque spots, which will be used to raise revenue for the Matlapana Trust.

Other activities such as Mokoro Trips for tourists when the river flows are also expected.

“The Bridge will not cater for vehicles, but will be used as a tourism leisure facility only,” he said. 

The bridge is expected to be handed over to the Matlapana community sometimes in February and will be officially opened by the Minister of Environment, Natural Resource Conservation and Tourism, Ms Philda Kereng. Ends