21 Jan 2026

Residents of Kgalagadi North have welcomed government’s decision to include the long-awaited Hukuntsi-Tsabong road in the National Development Plan 12 (NDP 12), describing it as a major milestone that will significantly improve livelihoods in the district.
The residents also expressed appreciation for government’s consideration of the Hukuntsi-Ncojane road, which although deferred, is expected to be constructed in the near future.
The views were shared during ongoing kgotla meetings addressed by the Member of Parliament for Kgalagadi North, Mr Reason Lekutlane, which began last week.
Speaking at the meetings, Mr Lekutlane said Kgalagadi North had been allocated two road projects, with the Hukuntsi-Tsabong road expected to bring immediate economic benefits to the area.
He explained that the road would greatly improve access for farmers transporting small stock to the Tsabong multispecies abattoir.
“This road will significantly reduce travelling distances for farmers. Instead of travelling approximately 510 kilometres to Lobatse, farmers will now travel about 200 kilometres to Tsabong,” he said, adding that the previous arrangement had been both costly and burdensome for farmers wishing to sell their small stock.
Mr Lekutlane noted that while the Hukuntsi-Ncojane road had been deferred, it remained a priority project.
He said he would continue engaging the relevant ministry to ensure the road was considered in the 2026–2027 NDP planning cycle.
“Our expectation is that this road will be constructed. Although it has been deferred, I will persist in engaging the concerned ministry to ensure it is prioritised,” he said.
Addressing concerns raised by residents over the lack of Radio Botswana connectivity in Ncaang, Mr Lekutlane expressed concern that residents were unable to access the national broadcaster.
He said consultations with the responsible ministry revealed that the project had encountered some challenges, but reassured residents that a connectivity project was currently underway.
On electricity provision, Mr Lekutlane said government has made deliberate efforts to electrify Ncaang, Hunhukwe and Inalegolo, but that financial constraints had however delayed implementation.
He added that as a short-term intervention, the Ministry of Minerals and Energy was considering installing solar plants in some villages, with consultations still ongoing on where these would be located.
Mr Lekutlane further commended public servants working in the district for persevering despite challenges such as poor road infrastructure, lack of water, electricity and radio connectivity.
He encouraged them to consider acquiring land in Kgalagadi, noting that inadequate basic services had slowed development and discouraged professionals from settling in the area.
“The challenge of access roads, coupled with water shortages, must be urgently addressed to unlock development,” he said, noting that residents of Ncaang have been raising these concerns for the past 59 years.
He also pointed out that delays in Ikageng programme payments were largely due to poor road conditions and difficult terrain, which made access to Ncaang challenging.
In response to concerns about the inability of some public servants to provide feedback, Mr Lekutlane noted that it was unfortunate that there were still public officers who failed to do so.
He emphasised that it was the right of the community to receive feedback and advised public officers to always provide responses, regardless of the outcome.
In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Kgakebafalatse Molefe of Ncaang highlighted prolonged water shortages and poor road infrastructure as the major challenges hampering development in the village.
He said while the village faces numerous challenges, the condition of the access road from Hukuntsi to Ncaang remained the most serious obstacle affecting service delivery and the wellbeing of residents.
He noted that the community deserved a decent tarred road, which would not only improve mobility but also facilitate the introduction of public transport and unlock broader socio-economic development opportunities for the village.
“The current state of the road is unacceptable. It undermines the commendable work done by nurses and has even led to the destruction of ambulances,” said Kgosi Molefe.
He expressed concern that due to the poor road conditions, the village had been forced to use a double-cab vehicle to ferry patients requiring referral to the hospital in Hukuntsi.
Kgosi Molefe described the situation as undignified, adding that the vehicle was shared with neighbouring villages of Ngwatle, Ukhwi and Monong.
Kgosi Molefe nevertheless welcomed government’s consideration of the Hukuntsi–Ncojane Road, despite its deferment, describing it as a step in the right direction.
He said improved road infrastructure would go a long way in improving access to essential services and accelerating development in the area.
He further urged government to ensure that communities were consulted during the initial planning stages of major infrastructure projects.
Kgosi Molefe said local input was often overlooked, yet it was crucial in ensuring that projects are implemented in a manner that responded to the needs of the people.
“We are rarely consulted during the early stages of these projects, yet our input can add value to how roads and other infrastructure are constructed,” he said.
While acknowledging the efforts of the area Member of Parliament, Kgosi Molefe appealed for urgent intervention to address the persistent water shortages in Ncaang.
He described the water situation as a serious crisis that required immediate and sustainable solutions to adequately serve the growing community. ENDS