26 May 2021

The contractor engaged to undertake Phase 2 of the Maun water supply project has been encouraged to engage stakeholders to create a conducive working  environment.

Maun East MP, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile encouraged the contractor during a courtesy visit to appreciate progresses and challenges encountered. Mr Kekgonegile said his interest was also on the number of locals employed, whether the project would incur cost overruns and to hear about environmental issues residents complained about.

Besides the delivery of the project, he said he also wanted to understand what else the community was benefiting in terms of skills transfer, economic empowerment, as well as working conditions, among others.

The MP urged the contractor to ensure the project, aimed at providing essential services of water and waste water to the residents of Maun, was delivered on time. 

Mr Kekgonegile learnt that the project, which was expected to be completed in October 2022, was at 30 per cent and that it was delayed as the proposed pipelines were traversing some plots and consultations were still ongoing, with some home owners refusing to let the contractor access their homesteads. 

The MP appreciated the update and informed the contractor and his team that members of the community expected the project to address water woes bedeviling Maun and surrounding areas.

Mr Kekgonegile also pointed out that there were complaints from members of the community about some old and symbolic trees that were being cut down instead of being preserved.

He also questioned stakeholder engagement, saying consultation could help in addressing some of the issues of concern.

The senior resident engineer, Mr Eric Mitchell informed the MP and his entourage that stakeholder engagement was one of the priorities, while the project manager, Mr Francois Dekker informed the MP that a lot had been accomplished, adding that construction of the sewer line was about to start.

He expressed confidence that the project would be delivered on time, but stated that they expected cost overruns because the project needed a vast area.

He also stated that In addition, Mr Dekker said some challenges took long to resolve, citing the land issue.

He also decried lack of cooperation by some residents, who refused to pave way for development, while some complained that the project had caused cracks on their properties. 

He, however, stated that efforts were underway to bring the project to the attention of the community, adding that bringing them on board would help improve cooperation. He stressed that the community should understand that the contractor was implementing a project that would eventually benefit them. 

He also acknowledged people’s concerns with regard to vegetation, saying they relied on guidance from the Department of Forestry and Range Resources on which species to cut down. He appreciated that Maun was a tourism destination, hence some species needed to be protected and preserved. Ends