10 Nov 2020

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi says maintenance or road networks is pivotal to the socio-economic development of the country, as it creates networks for movement of goods, services and people, as well as linking the country with other regions. 

Dr Masisi said the 20 000 km road network was worth about P50 billion. 

Delivering the State-of -the -Nation Address on November 10, President Masisi said  government was therefore undertaking rapid road developments across the country. He said maintenance works were reserved for 100 per cent citizen owned companies.

He said government was still committed to constructing Francistown – Nata – Maun – Sehitwa – Mohembo road, some sections of the Nata – Kazungula road and the Palapye – Martin’s Drift road as they linked the country with Central Africa. 

“We anticipate an increase in freight transport due to the completion of the Kazungula Bridge and the coming into effect of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement in January 2021,” he said.

Dr Masisi added that two major bridges were being constructed in the tourist areas of Ngamiland and Chobe districts. 

He said the Kazungula Bridge that was constructed in conjunction with the government of Zambia would improve efficiency of traffic at the Kazungula border, enable regional connectivity of the North – South corridor, as well as facilitate regional integration of the SADC economies.

Furthermore, he said the bridges would provide connectivity to planned major roads namely; Francistown – Nata, Nata – Maun, Nata – Kasane, Orapa – Maun and Maun – Shakawe. 

He said the Okavango Bridge in Mohembo, whose construction would be completed in August 2021, had employed nearly 500 Batswana and was fully funded by government. 

“Other ongoing roads projects included Charleshill – Ncojane, Gaborone – Boatle, Dibete – Mookane – Machaneng, Mabeleapudi – Tshimoyapula – Serule and Mosu – Thalamabele,” he said.

Also, President Masisi said progress of the new Greater Gaborone Traffic Signaling System Modernisation and provision of a Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) projects stood at 30 per cent against the planned 35 per cent.  

“To date, 31 out of the 129 intersections have been commissioned. Construction of interchanges along the Western Bypass road which started in December 2019 are ongoing,” he added.

On rail transport, Dr Masisi said in order to unlock the connectivity of the country, Botswana Railways was embarking on two key strategic rail infrastructure projects being Mosetse to Kazungula and Mmamabula to Lephalale railway line projects. 

He said the Mmamabula – Lephalale would connect to the South African railway network, while the Mosetse – Kazungula railway line would on the other hand connect to the Zambian railway network. 

Dr Masisi said feasibility studies for the two projects were scheduled to commence before the end of the current financial year and were expected to be completed by September 2021.

In addition, President Masisi said the aviation sector was playing a key role in growing the economy of the country but was hampered to perform accordingly by the current restrictions on travel. 

He said the introduction of long haul flights into Botswana including Qatar and Ethiopian airlines, as well as regional operators such as Namib Air, SA Express and SA Airlink required an urgent review of the aviation and airspace safety and security, as well as disaster preparedness. 

He said another airline that was expressing interest to fly in Botswana was the Emirate Airlines. 

“To this end, the improvement of surveillance coverage of Botswana’s airspace had commenced and tender will be awarded in May 2021,” said Dr Masisi. Ends