15 Aug 2022

Lack of funds has been cited as a major hiccup in cleaning up the A2 road, especially the stretch between Jwaneng and Kanye, which is the busiest.

Speaking during a Jwaneng Town Council consultative forum recently, the Department of Roads Works superintendent, Mr Mareko Kofa said the tender to clean up the road had been initially given to one company, which had since been terminated at it was liquidated.

“After the termination, the maintenance and upkeep of the road was done in-house by the department of roads and in July this year we engaged small scale companies to do a once off clean up. We could not engage them for longer because of lack of funds,” he said.

Mr Kofa however said they were still awaiting additional funds from the department headquarters, the availability of which would enable them to engage a company for a period of at least six months.

Mr Kofa said the department, was concerned about the filthy state of the road, especially because the dirt lured scavengers on to the road reserve, causing accidents.

He noted that most of the litter was domestic, with indications that it was deliberately placed at resting places by residents. Most councilors agreed that it was vital that the road be kept as clean as possible as it was an international route and therefore, contributed to the image of the country.

Jwaneng mayor, Ms Olga Ditsie suggested a joint operation and patrolling of the strip by both the Jwaneng and Kanye road safety committees.

Meanwhile principal elections officer for Jwaneng-Mabutsane constituency, Mr Khutsafalo Ralekwae informed the meeting that the two recently concluded supplementary voter registrations were done at the prerogative of the elections secretary.

He said that the first phase of the supplementary started January 17 to January 31, with the second supplementary running from May 3 to end of July. ENDS