12 Mar 2020

The rehabilitation of Mahalapye-Machaneng road by placing a layer of asphalt concrete on the surface is ongoing, says the Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Thulagano Segokgo.

Answering a question in Parliament on March 11, Mr Segokgo said the maintenance works were done by two separate contracts.

Mr Segokgo said section one of the maintenance works covering 35.8km from Mahalapye to Shakwe commenced on October 6, 2019 and was expected to be complete by October 5, 2020.

Progress on section one is at 18 per cent against the actual planned of 41 per cent, he said, adding that the delay was due to the fact that the contractor had to procure the asphalt concrete producing equipment before he could start works.

Mr Segokgo said the contractor was expected to make up for lost time in order to adhere to the agreed completion date.

The minister indicated that section two of the road maintenance works covering 39.2km from Shakwe to Machaneng commenced on September 19, 2019 and should be completed on September 18, 2020.

He added that the project was ahead of schedule as it was at 58 per cent against the planned 53 per cent.

As for Machaneng-Sefhare road, Mr Segokgo said resealing of the road with bitumen would be considered for inclusion in the programme for 2020/2021 financial year.

Mr Segokgo said Sefhare- Ramokgonami road maintenance works were done by resealing with bitumen.

He said the road would be considered for inclusion in the 2020/2021 planning programme.

With regard to Sefhare-Borotsi -Chadibe road, Mr Segokgo said proposed maintenance works of the road were at procurement stage. Currently invitation to tender is being vetted, he said.

He also said the envisaged interventions on the road would be resealing and that where the road exhibited severe distress, minor rehabilitation would be done.
Award of the project is expected by August, he said.

Mr Segokgo further said the Chadibe-Mokobeng-Ngwapa road was part of the project scope of Sefhare-Borotsi-Chadibe.

The minister was responding to a question from the Member of Parliament for Sefhare/ Ramokgonami, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang, who had asked for an update on the maintenance works of the said roads. ENDS