Heavy rains flood boipuso hall and disrupte activities

19 Jan 2025

Boipuso Hall, one of Gaborone’s key event venues, was submerged in water following a torrential downpour on Thursday night.

The unexpected heavy rains rendered the hall unusable, leading to the cancellation of several planned events and raising concerns about the city’s drainage infrastructure and its ability to withstand extreme weather.

Fairgrounds Holdings Chief Executive Officer, Ms Gorata Gabaraane confirmed the extent of the damage during an interview on Friday, stating that not only was Boipuso Hall severely affected, but adjacent buildings were also flooded.

“Water gushed through the main entrances and even through the roofing, completely deluging the floor. 

This caused significant damage to the wooden furniture that had already been set up for an event,” she explained.

Ms Gabaraane also revealed that sensitive equipment such as cameras, which had been left onsite by event organizers in preparation for the morning were submerged.

“We were not anticipating this level of rainfall and flooding. 

Our team is conducting thorough assessments to determine the extent of the damage and to liaise with third parties regarding any harm to their property,” she added.

In response to the disaster, Ms Gabaraane emphasised that Fairgrounds Holdings was taking steps to prevent similar incidents in the future, stating that they were investigating the root cause of the flooding to implement lasting solutions.

She said they had engaged their insurance partners, who had advised on immediate control measures.

Ms Gabaraane noted also that they were working to provide alternative venues for their clients to ensure minimal disruption to their events.

She assured the public that her team was working tirelessly to restore normalcy within two working days.

“We are doing everything in our power to stabilise the situation. 

While this incident was unfortunate, we are confident in our ability to address it effectively. 

Clients should not hesitate to make future bookings,” she concluded.

The flooding has sparked discussions about the adequacy of Gaborone’s drainage systems, especially in light of climate change, which has led to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.

Stakeholders are calling for urgent interventions to upgrade the city’s infrastructure to avoid similar disruptions in the future. ENDS

Source : BOPA

Author : Thato Setlhare

Location : Gaborone

Event : Interview

Date : 19 Jan 2025