09 Feb 2022

Makoro retail market project has been delayed after it was realised it was within the road reserve.
Responding to a parliamentary question on Tuesday, the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Mmusi Kgafela said the delay had mainly been caused by administrative issues in relation to securing land within the road reserve, where the vendors were currently located.

The project aimed at providing the vendors who operate from the Makoro Veterinary Gate with a decent shelter in the form of pre-fabricated containers.
The project was initiated by Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) and was sponsored to the tune of P2.6 million by various companies being Debswana, Morupule Coal Mine, Botswana Telecommunications Corporation and Makoro Bricks. A local company was awarded the tender to produce 8 prefabricated containers.

“Makoro has become known as the centre for Botswana traditional food, including wild fruits and that area is mainly used by vulnerable members of the society, mainly women who sell these products as a means to support their families,” he said.

Mr Kgafela told the House that the project aimed to provide shelter for the vendors and protect them from severe weather conditions that affected their businesses.
Further, he said it was to provide them with an appealing site that would encourage travellers along the highway to stop and purchase goods and also to provide a decent environment where motorists could take a break and rest before continuing with their journeys.

 “As you might be aware, the vendors currently sit on chairs and tables, under umbrellas alongside the road reserve and this is against the law,” he said.
Mr Kgafela said the proposed containers were to be positioned a few meters from where the vendors are currently located, but still within the road reserve.

“However, this has not been possible due to challenges with securing the necessary approval/waiver to place containers on the road reserve,” he said.He said consultations were ongoing with the Ministry of Transport and Communications and Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services (MLWS) to reach a consensus on positioning of the structures.

He said they had also engaged the Palapye land board to assist with a piece of land outside the road reserve, although it was not viable as vendors would not be visible to their customers.
Mr Kgafela said eight containers had been completed and the delivery of three remaining containers had been delayed due to storage challenges.
He said once administrative issues were completed the project would continue.

Palapye legislator, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi had asked the minister if he was aware that the tender for Makoro retail stores was long awarded yet it was failing to start.
He wanted to know what caused the delay and when it would start as it hampered economic growth of Palapye.ENDS