Capricorn Road to address Botswana’s logistical constraints
Otlarongwa Kgweetsi | Tuesday May 20, 2025 13:50
The 26-kilometre tarred Capricorn Road, which is being funded by Jindal Africa, is expected to improve logistics, enhance rural access, and serve as a transport corridor for the coal-based power station that is under development. The road is a component of the P1.7 billion investment being implemented by Jindal Africa, the operator of the Mmamabula Energy Complex. The company has allocated over P300 million to the road itself, with a projected completion period of 11 months.
Once completed, the route is expected to play a major role in improving travel between the energy facility and key national infrastructure, executives said. “This 26-kilometre stretch of road is a deliberate, strategic investment in connectivity and the upliftment of local communities,” said Parshant Goyal, CEO of Jindal Africa, at the groundbreaking ceremony last week. “Today’s groundbreaking is not just for a road, it is for progress, for opportunity, and for long-term impact,” he added. According to the company officials, the road will additionally provide improved transport access for surrounding villages that include Mmaphashalala, Mookane and Dibete. These areas, located in the Mahalapye District, are expected to benefit from reduced travel times, better road conditions and greater connectivity to national infrastructure. Jindal Africa’s Country Director & Project Head, Neeraj Saxeena, said the road was planned in response to logistical constraints. “As a landlocked nation, Botswana’s logistics infrastructure presents certain hurdles,” he said. “This is why we are constructing this 26km tarred road from the Tropic of Capricorn to Mmamabula to ensure seamless access and support for our project and the surrounding communities.”
Beyond physical construction, the project has generated employment and procurement opportunities for the area. By mid May, over 600 jobs had already been created, with the number expected to rise to more than 1,500 by the end of the year. A total of P600 million from the full project investment has been directed to citizen-owned businesses, covering construction, supply chain and support services, the company said. Moreover, the Capricorn Road is designed to improve road safety and reduce the environmental impact of dust and unpaved surfaces. “The improved road design will reduce dust pollution, minimise vehicle damage and significantly enhance road safety for all users,” Goyal added. Delivering a keynote address at the ceremony, Assistant Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Keoagile Atamelang, emphasised the importance of collaborations in delivering infrastructure.
“This project is a testament to what we can achieve when vision meets partnership, and ambition meets collaboration. Effective coordination between ministries and private stakeholders will remain key,” he said. The Capricorn Road equally supports a strategy to reduce Botswana’s reliance on electricity imports. The Mmamabula Energy Project, once operational, is intended to increase local energy generation capacity and provide a more stable power supply. Jindal Africa’s leadership acknowledged that the plant is coal-based, but it is framed within Botswana’s national strategy. “While coal remains a vital resource for economic development and energy security, we recognise the global shift toward renewables. Our long-term strategy aligns with Botswana’s just energy transition ambitions,”Saxeena said.