01 Dec 2022

Although some projects are progressing well in the Kweneng District, council chairperson, Mr Motlhophi Leo has observed that others were moving at a snail’s pace.

“We need to stand up and make sure that these projects are completed this financial year,” he said when addressing a council session on Monday.

Mr Leo said projects moving slowly were mainly Community Constituency Projects (CCP), especially destitute houses and the Molepolole-Thamaga road.

On other ongoing projects, he informed councillors that the contractor for the Gabane Infrastructure Development had not been awarded a performance certificate, but said there were over 300 complaints against the contractor.

He said affected individuals would be addressed concerning the project and its challenges.

Mr Leo also updated the councillors on the status of Mogoditshane internal roads, saying the consultancy services had been awarded to Pula/Lesedi Consulting Engineers Joint Venture at a cost of over P27 million.

He added that the consultancy services would be completed this year, adding that the procurement process would then commence.

On other projects, he told councillors that the construction of new primary schools in Mogoditshane and Kumakwane had commenced.

He also said tenders for six primary schools were awarded in July at the cost of over P17 million as part of the Economic Recovery Transformation Plan backlog eradication programme.

Of the six primary schools, he said construction has started in five of them and that works were at different stages.

He also noted that the Gakuto Primary School project was delayed by a complaint from one of the bidders and that the site was handed over to the contractor last month.

Furthermore, the chairperson said over P7 million was approved for the maintenance of primary schools.

The funds, he said, would be used for the major maintenance of only four schools in the district.

He also said tenders for Takatokwane, Kealeboga, Mogoditshane and Bakwena National primary schools had been awarded and that maintenance for three schools were complete except for Takatokwane Primary School, which stood at 65 per cent.

Updating councillors on the implementation of government policies and projects, deputy district commissioner, Mr Kabelo Ntopo said the district had engaged with stakeholders such as BIUST and Botswana Geo Science Institute in order to establish causes of ground fissures in the Hatsalatladi/Ditshukudu area.

He said the district wanted to safeguard livelihoods and properties.

He said Geo Science Institute had been funded with almost P6 million through the Ministry of Minerals and Energy to undertake a detailed geo-technical assessment of the causes of the cracking.

Mr Ntopo also informed councillors of the NDP 12 transitional plan and shared with them some major projects that had been proposed.

Among them, he highlighted the expansion of main roads and construction of a customary court in Molepolole as well as the Molepolole bypass road, saying it was estimated to cost P78 million.

He also talked about the Molepolole water supply, network rehabilitation and sanitation projects. ENDS