31 Jul 2023

To give Gaborone City an economic competitive edge in the global sphere, there is a need to give its streets and locations unique addresses.

Gaborone chief physical planner, Mr Dave Ramatlhare said the commencement of street naming and address system would give every plot a unique number for ease of navigation, adding that such would also include putting up mail boxes at every plot.

He said the project would cover landmarks and monuments.

He said the system was successful in developed countries where it guided taxi drivers and service providers. 

He said the intent was to move from the label of being a developing to a developed country.

Mr Ramatlhare said absence of address system was making it difficult for tourists to locate hotels. 

He appealed to councillors to support the project in their wards as it was critical for all to know their areas of abode. 

Plot numbering, he said, ‘put us in a better light for commercial business and security’, adding that such system would aid police to easily locate where their services were need in times of emergency.

The system, he said, would save lives as it indicate the best possible routes for emergency services. 

“On a number of occasions we have seen a house burn down while the fire brigade swirls around failing to locate such a house. 

The system will bring that to an end,” he said.

Mr Ramatlhare said such information could also help in managing population statistics as it would reveal information about number of dwellers per house or plot.

Councillor Lotty Manyepedza said the development project was overdue.

He said the development should be given a time frame for completion, indicating that failure to include plot address into the AFCON bid book was a setback for Botswana.

He said the project should create employment for young unemployed IT graduates. 

He pleaded for the project to collaborate with Botswana Police Service parallel to street camera installation around the city to strengthen security and ease policing.

“The naming system must consider the names of our local heroes. 

I am concerned about names such as Ian Smith, wondering who that person is and how he helped us. 

We should try to have street names that we can relate to. 

Why can’t we have someone like Veronica Lesole, former Mayoress among us and not name a street after Veronica Meyer of Australia. 

To me it is best to name streets after people we could identify with,” he said.

Councillor Gopolang Montsho pleaded that a Motswana voice, speaking Setswana be used for GPS guide. ends