16 Oct 2024

In Takatokwane, a group of determined men and women has demonstrated remarkable creativity and resourcefulness by harnessing the village’s abundant pit sand to mold building blocks.

The Takatokwane Bricks project, a success story of utilising local resources to connect residents with their ancestral land, was launched under the Nyeletso Lehuma packages.

The initiative was expected to revitalise the village’s economic activities, but it is currently underperforming with dwindling walk-in clients and inquiries about the bricks.

Despite a strong start, the Kalahari Sand building bricks project now faces significant challenges due to a lack of local support.

Last year, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi urged the community, government departments, parastatal organisations and the business sector to support the project.

However, the call for support has not yet materialised into the anticipated backing.

A visit to the site reveals a stark contrast between the fully equipped manufacturing workshop and the silence that pervades it.

Mr Kgakgamatso Kgokong, who maintains the site by organising and starking the bricks, reports producing a reasonable amount for walk-in customers, but the quantity remains insufficient.

Ms Faith Ramosele, an officer from the Ministry of Entrepreneurship’s Wealth Creation Programme, oversees projects in the Letlhakeng Sub-district.

She expresses regret that the project’s only substantial orders come when the Letlhakeng Sub- district Council has construction projects or for community initiatives. The project occasionally receives significant orders such as when Moshupa Hospital needed bricks for a boundary wall, but such opportunities are rare.

The Takatokwane Bricks project, which began with 20 people and is now managed by six, was designed not only to address the community’s needs, but also to empower and create job opportunities.

Initially aimed at providing affordable bricks using the abundant pit sand in Takatokwane, the project targeted lower-income earners who could not afford expensive construction materials.

Ms Ramosele highlights the project’s potential to supply bricks to government entities, parastatals and the business community for further support.

Sponsored by the Botswana Institute for Technology, Research and Innovation (BITRI) which provided training and a hydraulic brick-molding machine, the project thrived during its peak periods.

Currently, the project makes around P2 600 on a good day, though orders are infrequent.

The bricks, certified by the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) for their strength - double the required standard - are made from a mix of pit sand, cement and fly ash from Morupule Coal Mine. They are user-friendly, do not require plastering and are priced at P6 each.

Despite its current underperformance, the Takatokwane Bricks project remains a beacon of hope in an arid landscape.

For residents, it symbolises the possibility of a brighter future, where the community can thrive, though with a little more support.  ENDS