27 Mar 2024

 The Phase 1 projects of Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (SSKIA) Economic Zone are said to be 28 per cent complete and are expected  to be complete in July 2025. 

Special Economic Zones Authority’s Policy and Planning Director, Mr Jayson Sechele informed Gaborone City Council full meeting on Monday that  the projects included 16.23 km road network, underground storm water drainage, and sewer reticulation in the 100 hectare land being serviced.

 Mr Sechele said there was a 1.2 hectare piece of land at SKIA where SEZA planned to build four factories that would be leased out. The project is at tender stage. 

 Mr Sechele said SEZA also had projects in Pandamatenga, Francistown, Selebi Phikwe, and Lobatse.

 He said of the four places, they only had a title deed for Pandamatenga Agro Production Zone and land reservations for all the other locations. He pointed out that they were looking to have full title deeds for other places.

 Mr Sechele said SEZA had master plans for five other zones and had completed SKIA, Lobatse, Fairgrounds, Francistown, and was still working on the one for Selebi Phikwe.

 He said when drawing the master plans for the zones, they also made a business case.

He said that as Fairgrounds was designated for financial services, they drew the business case to achieve the objective.

Mr Sechele said having attained the urban design master plan, they moved on to make the strategic environmental assessment.

He said 44 000 hectares had been cultivated in Pandamatenga and they planned to increase production by another 40 000 hectares. He said 12 new silos had been built in addition to the existing six silos to increase storage capacity to 90 000 metric tonnes.

He stated that once the 40 000 hectares was cultivated as part of the Agro Zambezi irrigation project, another 18 or 20 grain silos would be built.

Mr Sechele said in the Transitional National Development Plan (TDNDP) they planned land servicing projects in the Phase 1 areas. He said they the Pandamatenga, Palapye and Tuli Block master plans were at evaluation stage.

He disclosed that in the Tuli Block they were still looking to be allocated land while at Sowa they were running a feasibility study. ENDS