11 Nov 2020

The Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development (MIH), Mr Mmusi Kgafela says there are multiple factors that affect the completion of government projects.

Addressing the city of  Francistown leadership recently, Minister Kgafela explained that one of the factors was lack of supervision.

He said that the delay in the completion of the offices of the Independence Electoral Commission (IEC) in Tutume, which he handed over last week, was caused by lack of supervision. 

Minister Kgafela however explained that sometimes the contractors contribute to the delay especially first time contractors.

The Francistown Mayor, Mr Godisang Radisigo told the minister that lack of accommodation for public officers was a ‘serious concern’.

Speaking on behalf of the leadership, MP’s for Francistown West and Francistown South Messrs Ignatius Moswaane and Wynter Mmolotsi  requested infrastructure and housing development ministry to amongst others, consider increasing the budget for SHHA, adopt new housing designs and to give more attention to completing projects on time. 

They also requested the minister to consider lifting the moratorium on sale of Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC)pool houses to which the minister said he had engaged the ministry responsible for public service welfare being the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration on the issue.

Mr Moswaane explained that there were lot of opportunities for investors in Francistown due to the availability of land, water and electricity. 

He informed the minister that there were many unoccupied houses in Francistown despite lack of accommodation. 

On other issues, MP Moswaane appealed to government to increase the budget allocated to the city, saying the budget was too small. 

For his part, MP Mmolotsi appealed to the minister to make home ownership his legacy saying there a lot of unoccupied BH) houses. 

He appealed to the government to sell the flats to young professional Batswana who have the desire to buy them. The minister also visited some newly completed BHC houses  in Donga. Ends