14 Jan 2026

Residents expressed concern that the deteriorating state of the road continued to affect daily life and economic activity in the area.

Mr Timothy Samoxa said residents expected the minister to heed their concerns and urgently address the status of the Nokaneng–Gumare road following the meeting. He further urged government to prioritise the development of roads linking villages to cattle posts, noting that such infrastructure played a critical role in supporting the agricultural sector.

Echoing similar sentiments, Mr Gideon Mathethe said poor roads and inadequate infrastructure in the Okavango District were negatively affecting the socio-economic wellbeing of residents. He appealed to the ministry to prioritise the district in future infrastructure development plans.

Ms Omphile Medupe raised safety concerns, stating that the poor state of roads in the district had contributed to numerous fatal accidents. She urged the ministry to upgrade roads to acceptable safety standards to save lives.

Responding to the concerns, Mr Salakae explained that the Nokaneng–Gumare road project, which was to be implemented under the Development Manager Model, was among projects suspended when the ministry resolved to review the model.

He said the review aimed to determine whether projects were awarded appropriately or whether the model contributed to inflated costs and corruption. The minister added that the review process was expected to be completed within two months, after which the ministry would decide on the way forward regarding the Nokaneng–Gumare road project. ENDS