15 Feb 2024

The Ministry of Transport and Public Works is continuing with the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the SADC protocol on transport, communications and meteorology to comply with the agreed standards to facilitate seamless movement along the Trans Kgalagadi Corridor (TKC).

This was said by Minister Eric Molale in Parliament on Tuesday when responding to a question from the MP for Jwaneng/Mabutsane, Mr Mephato Reatile.

Mr Molale noted that parties to the protocol had agreed to ensure that the corridor was maintained to an adequate condition that responded to the needs of the road users.

“Accordingly, my ministry continues to maintain the road as evidenced by the recently awarded projects to maintain the Kanye-Jwaneng and Sekoma-Jwaneng sections.

These projects are aimed at further improving the condition of the road,” he said.

Mr Molale, however, admitted that the element of safety due to animals straying on the road continued to be a challenge and a concern to other member states.

He said the reason was that some sections of the road were not fenced to allow free movement of wildlife, as the road traversed through a wildlife management area.

He said it often resulted in livestock finding their way into the road reserve through the unfenced sections.

He said the ministry planned to engage communities along the corridor to manage roadside facilities.

Mr Molale said since the MoU was anchored on the SADC protocol on transport, communications and meteorology, its implementation was guided by what the region had agreed at the SADC level.

“Chapter four of the MoU provides for commitment by the three member states and calls on the contracting parties to adopt and implement harmonised standards in respect of areas such as vehicle fitness and equipment, vehicle dimensions, combinations and projections, amount of load, traffic signs and signals, speed limit, driving hours and road traffic law enforcement, road traffic safety among others,” he said.

Mr Molale indicated that the A2 road, commonly known as the Trans Kgalagadi Highway, was constructed to the said standards.

“My ministry has on December 1, 2023 awarded a tender for the maintenance of the Kanye-Jwaneng road, which will among others cover expansion of selected road junctions such as Sese, Jwana and Moepo,” he said.

He said his ministry was also in the process of finalising the terms of reference to conduct a feasibility study on tolling of roads in the country following the passing of the relevant law by Parliament to amend the Public Roads Act.

He said the study, anticipated in the next financial year, would guide in the feasibility to implement toll gates along the corridor or any other road in the country.

He noted that one road accident was recorded at Morwamosu junction between 2019 and 2023 while 12 occurred at the Sekoma junction.  “There were 193 recorded road traffic accidents involving stray livestock on the section of A2 road between Betesankwe and Morwamosu from 2019 to date.

My ministry has not incurred any costs along the A2 road on cattle patrols since 2019 as a result of budget constraints,” he said.

Mr Molale, however, said the maintenance of the fence through the output and performance-based road contract was undertaken on the Kanye-Jwaneng section between January 2019 and June 2021.

He said there were currently no plans to convert the Jwaneng circle into a four-way intersection with traffic lights, but that through the Kanye-Jwaneng contract, there was a plan to address the issue of ponding at the circle, which he said was a safety concern during the rainy season.

MP Reatile had requested a full appraisal on the completion of the A2 highway to the standards set out in the TKC agreement.

He wanted to know when the road would be considered ‘up to standard’ in terms of milestones and deadlines, and whether there was a plan for the highway to incorporate the use of toll gates and when that might be done.

Mr Reatile also wanted to know the number of road accidents recorded at Morwamosu and Sekoma junctions since 2019, and the number of such caused by stray livestock on the section between Betesankwe and Morwamosu.

He further asked about the total amount the ministry had spent on cattle patrol activities in the said section since 2019 and whether there were any plans to convert the Jwaneng circle into a four-way intersection with traffic lights to reduce accidents. ENDS