02 Sep 2021

Acting deputy district commissioner in Good Hope Sub-district, Ms Peggy Kutlase, has expressed concern about the slow construction of Tshidilamolomo police post project. 

The project, which is now over 12 months late, was funded at the tune of over a million pula.

 It commenced in July 2020 and was supposed to be completed in December 2020. 

Ms Kutlase said the contractor seemed to have outsourced the job and rarely went to site, hence the delay. 

The acting district commissioner said upon completion, the post would change the landscape of Tshidilamolomo, adding that villagers would also feel safe once law enforcement officers arrived in the village. 

She further said it would also relief the Phitshane police station, which was  covering a wide area from Mokgomane to Mabule. 

For his part, the area manager in the Department of Facilities Management, Mr Gaolatlhe Keaja, concurred with Ms Kutlase that tenders given to the youth normally took too long to be completed. 

He said his department was handicapped because though they were supposed to be supervising the project, the ministry under which the project fell did not give them any documents such as plans to ensure adherence to what was agreed upon. 

Mr Keaja also blamed some contractors for not being hands-on, leading to projects not being finished on time and within budget. 

He also urged them not to out-source the works. 

Mr Keaja divulged that the contractor had not asked for any extension in writing. 

Meanwhile, the facilities manager at the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Newman Nkosana, divulged that the technical committee had already liaised with the tender committee of the ministry, recommending that the tender be terminated. 

He said they had been lenient with the contractor because he was a youth, adding that unfortunately, he was difficult to deal with.

Mr Nkosana said the contractor had long abandoned the site, after getting payment for roofing and he never responded to the correspondence regarding the slow progress of the project. 

The Tshidilamolomo police post is one of over 10 across the country intended to help take services closer to the people. ends