28 Jan 2026

Government has priotitised the construction of roads connecting villages with production units.

According to Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Mr Noah Salake, some of the roads incorporated in the National Development Plan (NDP) 12 was the tarring of the Rasesa-Lentsweletau-Diphuduhudu road and the Lentsweletau-Medie road. 

Addressing Lentsweletau residents recently, Mr Salakae also confirmed that one of the roads in need of attention included the 47km Metsimotlhabe-Kopong-Lentsweletau tarred road, which was considered for resealing. 

Earlier on, Lentsweletau/Lephepe Member of Parliament, Mr Tshenolo Bogatsu had raised a concern on the status of roads in his area of jurisdiction. He said the road network in the constituency was dominated by gravel roads, which affected economic prospects, among other things.

Mr Bogatsu cited the Kopong-Gaborone North road and Kopong-Bokaa road as some of the projects, which could have been incorporated in NDP 12, as they served as linkages between production areas 

He said the Kopong-Bokaa road had the potential to spur economic growth by linking villages in production areas with other economic drivers and enabled residents to create employment or establishing businesses along the route. 

However, he said he was hopeful that with the potential to reopen the Medie Coal Mine in the near future, the area’s economic activities would get desired injection for growth and improve livelihoods.

As such, he called on government to consider expanding the railway line infrastructure by constructing a railway line connecting Medie mine with the main line in Artesia. He said the railway line could be an alternative route for transporting coal to reduce damages on the road by trucks on the Letsweletau-Medie road.

For his part, Medie/Kweneng Ward councillor, Mr Letsholathebe Legodi shared the same sentiments with the area MP on the state of Lentsweletau-Medie road. 

He said trucks, which used to ferry coal from Medie mine, impacted the road surface, adding that dust from the road was equally a health hazard to the community, a challenge to crop production as well as general being of the environment.

Mr Legodi said motorists and public transporters were also affected by the status of the road, adding that the Medie-Kweneng gravel road was in need for regular grading to improve its current condition.

Lentsweletau Village Development Committee chairperson, Mr Charles Mathupi appealed to Minister Salakae for provision of funding to patch potholes, instal streetlights and remarking of the Lentsweletau-Kgope and Lentsweletau-Dikgatlhong roads.

Mr Mathupi also said there was need for the construction of a bus rank in Lentsweletau.

He further said while there was shortage of public transport along the Lentsweletau-Gaborone route, the Department of Road Transport Services had indicated that it was not possible to issue new permits for the route as all time slots were taken. BOPA