11 Dec 2025

Moshupa A10 Bridge, a vital transport link in southern Botswana, will remain closed for an additional 16 to 20 months, with completion scheduled between March and July, 2027. 

The bridge has been closed for more than a year due to structural failure, forcing motorists onto lengthy detours that have severely disrupted local trade, travel and public transport operations. 

In an interview, acting chief public relations officer at the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Moemedi Matsoga, explained that reconstruction of the bridge’s embankment retaining walls was halted in November 2024 after contractors encountered a high underground water table. 

Mr Matsoga said the original plan to restore the embankment to its previous condition carried a high risk of future failure. Consequently, he said the existing contract was terminated in November 2024 to allow for a complete redesign and a new tender process. 

He added that a tender for consultancy services, which detailed investigations, design and construction supervision, was initially advertised, with consultants shortlisted on October 8, 2025 and the tender scheduled to close on October 22, 2025. 

However, he said the process was cancelled due to procedural errors. He said a new selective tender was approved on October 21, 2025 and revised documents were resubmitted for vetting on October 27, 2025. 

He further said the ministry was currently awaiting confirmation of the new tender timetable, including site visits and submission deadlines. 

Once appointed, Mr Matsoga said consultants would begin detailed investigations and remedial design work, where the project would proceed in two phases, including a three-month design phase followed by a 13-month construction phase, depending on the final design recommendations. 

Mr Matsoga emphasised that apart from the earlier tender cancellation, there were no major constraints at present. He said tender documents for the design phase were undergoing final vetting and would soon be issued to shortlisted bidders. 

In the meantime, he said motorists were advised to continue using alternative routes, including the Mogobane-Ranaka Road or through Moshupa village. 

Meanwhile, the prolonged delay has sparked widespread frustration among residents and businesses in the Southern District, who have urged the ministry to explore temporary bypass solutions. 

The ministry has assured the public that no shortcuts would be taken, stressing that a durable, long-term solution was the priority. 

Bus Operators Association chairperson, Mr Tirafalo Mponang, expressed disappointment at the latest extension, saying the new mid-2027 target had placed members in an impossible position. 

Mr Mponang said local operators in Moshupa had already lost substantial revenue because long-distance buses, now diverted through the village, were picking up passengers who would normally use their services. 

“We had been patiently waiting for the bridge to reopen. This latest postponement has left us at a crossroads once again,” he said. 

On other issues, Moshupa council chairperson, Mr Peter Sethibe, announced that the internal village bridge, which collapsed earlier this year, would soon be reconstructed. 

Mr Sethibe said the council had secured funds from the road levy fund for the project and, given the approaching rainy season, had awarded the tender through an emergency procurement process. 

He confirmed that with the reconstruction work at tendering stage, the bridge was expected to start soon. ENDS