28 Jan 2026

Failure to enforce contractual guidelines by relevant officials has contributed to the slow pace of developments in Kgalagadi North, says the area MP.

Mr Reason Lekutlane said delayed projects under local and central governments continued to hinder socio-economic development in the district.

He made the remarks during a consultative constituency kgotla meeting in Maake recently, where he cited poor contract management by engineers and technicians responsible for overseeing projects, as being among reasons for inefficiency.

Excessive leniency toward non-performing contractors, he said, had resulted in stalled projects and increased costs for government.

“There are clear guidelines outlined in contracts, but our own personnel often become too lenient even when contractors are not complying. This ends up costing government and setting the district back,” he said.

Mr Lekutlane expressed concern that prolonged project delays had negatively affected the livelihoods of residents while placing a heavy financial burden on government.

To address the situation, the MPs constituency office is developing a programme aimed at strengthening project oversight, accountability and compliance.

Beyond that, the MP said he had established a District Development Database that captured all ongoing and outstanding projects in Kgalagadi North. The database, will assist to track progress, identify challenges and in making informed recommendations to accelerate project completion.

Mr Lekutlane underscored that projects that had stalled for more than six years should not exist because there were set procedures to be followed in dealing with contractors who failed to meet their contractual obligations.

Responding to residents’ requests for two additional council seats for Maake wards, Mr Lekhutlane explained that the matter fell under the mandate of the Delimitation Commission and advised residents to present their case when the commission visited the village.

Although the village’s population currently stands at about 500, a figure below the required 1,200 for a council seat, he noted that proximity to other villages could be considered.

Turning to road infrastructure, the MP described the condition of the Lehututu–Maake road ought to be graded while awaiting tarring. It is such poor conditions that he said demotivated public officers to work in the area and contributed to service delivery challenges, including water, electricity and staffing shortages.

Mr Lekutlane said more than 870 kilometres of roads in Kgalagadi North required upgrading, because improved road infrastructure was critical to uplifting communities and accelerating developments in the district.

Village Development Committee chairperson, Mr Samuel Motlhaope, raised a concern that there was no dedicated ambulance that served the village, but currently relied on a double-cab van that was not suitable to transport patients.

Mr Motlhaope said the vehicle serviced Maake and Hunhukwe, a situation that often left the former without transport during emergencies.

He however commended the Hukuntsi District Council and Diamond Botswana for drilling a community borehole to provide water for livestock, a project that proved beneficial to the village. BOPA