23 Jun 2020

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Mr Molefhi Keaja, has appreciated Shakawe COVID-19 task force’s efforts to reduce congestion at a holding site for truck drivers.

Mr Keaja said he was happy to learn that truck drivers did not spend more nights at the holding site while awaiting their COVID-19 results.

He was informed that only two truck drivers who arrived on Friday were awaiting release of their results.

Mr Keaja commended the task force for a job well done in controlling spread of COVID-19 noting that the district had not registered any positive case so far.

However, Mr Keaja advised the task force to urgently address the issue of cold water at Mohembo holding site.

He urged the assistant district commissioner to take up the matter with the senior assistant council secretary to facilitate fixing of the geysers.

The holding site, which was offered by the department of water affairs, did not have hot water since geysers were reportedly not working.

The task forced sourced hot water from the border gate to supply truck drivers.

Mr Keaja noted that fixing the geysers was a minor work which could have been completed within days.

Earlier on, the assistant district commissioner, Ms Gaehetswe Maphakwane informed Mr Keaja and his entourage that normally they had up to seven truck drivers from Namibia who slept in their trucks until their results were released.

He said some officers from Botswana Defence Force had been deployed to patrol at the holding site while health officials also conducted routine checks such as temperatures.

Mr Keaja, who was accompanied by permanent secretaries from the ministries of Finance and Economic Development and Transport and Communications toured Mohembo border to check compliance on health protocols.

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Dr Wilfred Mandlebe said in an interview that the purpose of the visit was to check on the facility and employees to appreciate how they were coping with the pandemic.

He said the employees needed motivation hence the need to give them all the necessary support.ENDS