28 May 2020

Kasane District Health Management Team (DHMT) has identified a second holding space for trucks transiting through Botswana at Pandamatenga village.

This brings to two the number of holding places in the Chobe District with the first at Kazungula Weigh Bridge, both having a holding capacity of 40 trucks per day.

The holding space in Pandamatenga is behind Kwa Nokeng Oil Filling station and is equipped with all the necessary services such as ablutions, showers and portable water.

Meanwhile 40 trucks entered the country through Kazungula Ferry and Zimbabwe borders arrived on May 27 and drivers were tested for COVID-19.

Chobe District Commissioner, Ms Sekgabo Makgosa said in an interview that the new space was an offload of the one at Kazungula Weigh Bridge and its purpose was to allow more trucks from Zambia and Zimbabwe to transit through Botswana, thereby reducing congestion and waiting period by drivers at the borders.

Meanwhile, Dr Rapelang Peter of ACHAP, whose team of health professionals is conducting the tests, said the new space had also been designated for COVID-19 testing for truck drivers entering or leaving the country.

Dr Peter promised that there would no longer be a delay in the release of COVID-19 test results as Kasane Primary Hospital had introduced a new Abbott model testing machine, which was much quicker that the traditional test and could run several tests per day. Ends