03 Nov 2013

Government intends to increase petrol levy from 20 thebe to P1.00 per litre, Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Nonofho Molefhi has said.

Speaking at the Tourism Pitso in Gaborone on November 1, Mr Molefhi said the increase in petrol levy would be used solely for the maintenance of roads across the country.

Minister Molefhi said government ran on an annual deficit when it came to road maintenance. The government budget for annual road maintenance stood at P450 million while its expenditure reached P1.2 million thus running on a deficit, he added.

He highlighted that the current annual collection of fuel levy which stood at 20 thebe per litre accumulated to P110 million.

The increase in levy, Mr Molefhi said would assist in providing resources to local authorities such as district councils for erection and maintenance of streets and tower lights. He said the tarring of roads was quite an expensive exercise as only a kilometre of gravel road needed P3 million to be tarred.

Due to financial constraints many roads across the country are not tarred, he said. Minister Molefhi said his ministry intends to set up an agency responsible for engaging companies in constructing and maintaining roads across the country. The ministry, he said, has its own special contribution in laying a platform for the tourism sector to leverage on.

The minister said the sector needs effective, efficient, reliable and affordable transport and telecommunications system in order for the supply and demand to go together. 

“When effectively taken care of, it will ensure travel arrangements to various destinations are quite possible and successful,” he said.

He told Pitso that his ministry has embarked on Information Communication Technology projects aimed at providing reliable, high quality and high capacity internet connectivity at affordable prices. Ends