25 Oct 2023

The newly- appointed development managers will ensure that selected construction projects are completed on time, within budget, to the required quality and standard and without any corruption.

Officiating at the managers contract signing ceremony on October 24, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said high levels of professionalism and ethical conduct were  paramount for the development managers model to become successful.

He said the contracts would guide the managers’ conduct, responsibilities, obligations as well as their rights as government embarked on the delivery of selected projects through the concept.

President Masisi said the managers would be expected to deliver a suite of infrastructure projects which were budgeted for under the Transitional National Development Plan, and that they had been budgeted at over P13 billion. 

He added that the expenditure demonstrated the commitment of government to infrastructure development.

President Masisi also said the development manager concept was in line with the Reset  Agenda.

The managers  would be expected to manage construction projects from inception to completion.

He added that the country’s infrastructure had to add meaning and value to the lives of citizens and to ease the cost of doing business as well as creating wealth for Batswana.

 The model, he said, was adopted to address challenges that infrastructure development had experienced. 

“We have over the years had problems with funding our infrastructure projects, compounded by failure to complete those projects that had been funded. The challenges are varied, but in the past, these have led to loss of public funds and slow economic growth,” he said.

President Masisi also said there was insufficient competence in project management and implementation in the country, and that the model would assist in growing citizen contractors to higher grades. 

He said the managers would also be required to employ the youth and engage interns in order to assist them to grow professionally.

To further improve oversight and to protect the interests of government, Dr Masisi said a catalyst project team had  been established to focus on development managers projects and the team would be composed of government’s engineers.

Still at the same ceremony, Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane said the model was testimony to President Masisi’s commitment to the development of the country. 

He said the initiative was also consistent with Vision 2036 and the promise made to Batswana.

Vice President Tsogwane implored other cabinet ministers to work hard in their various sectors to ensure that the initiative succeeds.

He said project implementation contributed to job creation during construction and the use of the facilities. Furthermore, he said the private sector would be at the forefront of growing the economy and that development managers were partners in development as they were putting delivery before financial gain as well as committing to project delivery and the employment of the youth.

Minister of Transport and Public Works, Mr Eric Molale said the change management process in the construction industry was a mindset change process, and that it was bound to be viewed with fear of breaking barriers.

He said the model was adopted through a number of tactics and processes and that nine development managers were identified. ENDS