29 Mar 2022

The recently launched free Wi-Fi at Francistown’s Galo Mall is expected to promote the demand and uptake of council services through online platforms and facilitate broadband uptake.

The free Wi-Fi initiative was born of a partnership between Botswana Fibre Networks and Francistown City Council. 

Other area covered under the the free WI-FI network service are Francistown Bus Rank, Francistown Post Office, Phillip Matante Airport, Nyangabgwe Hospital and Galo, Nswazi as well as Nzano malls. 

Addressing a full council meeting on Monday March 28, Francistown mayor, Mr Godisang Radisigo said moreover, Francistown City Council had recently introduced a customised Service Set Identifier (SSID) on the public infrastructure that enabled users to access the internet via landing page and portal, which were meant create awareness of the new Francistown Council City free Wi-Fi Hotspots.

The platform has been governed to offer free hour Wi-Fi per person per session.  

on other issues, Mr Radisigo said procurement of a number of medical supplies and equipment such as the advanced ultrasound machine installed at Jubilee Clinic.

The Greater Francistown District Health Management Team (DHMT) had also digitalised the radiology department, thereby enabling it to process all radiographs digitally in line with the 4^th industrial revolution agenda.

“The equipment will greatly reduce the waiting period for clients who have been seeking diagnostic services at Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital,” he said, adding that a new mobile X-ray machine had been allocated to Ntshe isolation site while the main X-ray machine at Jubilee Clinic underwent major maintenance.

He said the DHMT had been allocated a budget of P6 million for drug-related commodities and other general purchase orders to address the shortage of drug availability  due to multiple factors, among them global market disruptions and local supply chain challenges.

Regarding Self Help Housing Agency scheme, Mr Radisigo said 150 plots were allocated to the council by the Department of Lands, adding that 104 had already been contacted to collect their offer letters, out of which 98 had shown up and six were still expected to collect.

The mayor said it was critical for the council to find ways of collecting revenue as it provided the necessary capital to drive the mandate of the council.

“The rate at which we generate and collect income is directly linked to our capacity to provide quality service and finance critical projects that meet the needs of the community,” he said.

The mayor noted that advertising via billboard signs was one of the major contributors to thev council revenue. 

Francistown City Council has advertised 12 concessions through a tender that was closed on March 18, where advertising agencies were invited to bid for citywide installation and maintenance of advertising frames on street poles, street furniture and major streets in the City of Francistown.

He said successful bidders would have exclusive rights to sell advertising space on their respective advertising frames and street furniture, adding that the exercise did not only provide income to the council, but would also improve the outlook of the streets. Ends