02 Dec 2020

Tendering process has now begun for provision of infrastructure development at the site of the Lobatse Leather Park project.

In his address on December 1, the Mayor of Lobatse, Mr Essop Pandor, told a full council meeting that the tendering process had earlier experienced delays due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. 

“The floating of tenders for provision of infrastructure like roads, water and electricity for the Leather Park was delayed due to unfavourable conditions for tendering, as prospective bidders were affected by the (COVID-19) movement restrictions,” Mr Pandor said.  

The mayor said tenders were being floated now, and expressed confidence that the process would be concluded soon, to pave way for commencement of actual construction works.

“We are hopeful that soon we will be updating on the way forward as we approach the new year,” he added. 

The ground breaking activity for the P400 million project, which will be constructed at Thema in Lobatse, was supposed to take place in April, but was postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. 

The project has experienced a series of delays in the past five years. 

When completed, it is envisioned to provide large scale activities in leather processing, tannery and manufacturing of leather products. It is also expected to create thousands of employment opportunities.

Coordinator of the project, Mr Lesitamang Paya, said this year in March that construction would be done in three parallel phases, which are fencing, major civil works and buildings, as well as machinery and technologies. 

On other major projects, the mayor said there was not much new progress at the Lobatse Milk Afric Dairy Project. 

The large scale commercial dairy project was envisioned to significantly increase milk production in Botswana and also create many employment opportunities.

Mr Pandor said phase two of the upgrading of the bus rank and construction of a shopping mall project had started. 

“The contractor is working on completing the outstanding partial works at the bus and taxi rank side, which is expected to be completed by December 18. 

Physical progress is now at 85 per cent. 

For the shopping mall, platform is complete. 

Casting of concrete columns, column bases and strip footing is in progress, with the brickwork substructure at 16 per cent,” Mr Pandor said. 

He said by the end of October, the amount spent in construction of the project was P8 million, which translated to 74 per cent  expenditure. 

He added that the project had generated employment for 76 people. ends