Kanye councillors demand internal roads
Lebogang Baingapi | Tuesday July 7, 2015 15:40
- Ignore minister Mabeo’s presentation of major road project
- Major road project to cost more than P1 billion
Councillor for Kgosing ward in Kanye, Mosekisi Rangobana said the 10 year duration of the proposed roads’ project was too long, adding that internal roads should have been included in the project. Rangobana pleaded with government to allocate the council a budget for internal roads in the village, which he said are in a deplorable state.
After addressing them on the proposed infrastructure development projects on which government plans to spend P10 billion over a 10-year period, the councillors did not bother to interrogate the project, but focused on requesting for construction of roads in their villages and wards.
The Southern District Council full council meeting learnt that foreign companies will cash in billions of Pula for the on-going Output and Performance Based Road Contractors (OPRC) pilot project.
Minister of Transport and Communication, Tshenolo Mabeo, said that the 10 year project entails the construction of a 335 km road from the Mmankgodi junction through to Jwaneng, which covers at least seven access roads.
The government of Botswana has partnered with the World Bank on the project, which started on May 2014 and is expected to be completed in May 2024.
Mabeo said that the stipulated period is for increase of efficiency and effectiveness of road operation and to avoid premature deterioration of roads as the said contractor will take responsibility for maintance of the road for that period.
“The contractor has a duty of designing, construction and maintenance and that if there is any lacksity, he would take charge of the situation,” he said.
Mabeo added that the government would make payments informed by the performance of the contractors, and carry out evaluations after 10 years to assess whether the project can be rolled out to other districts. “The first package will entail civil works with a budget of more than P1 billion awarded to ELSAMEX- INT JVCA.
The company is a joint venture between Elsamex from Spain and IF&LS Transportation Network Limited from India,” he stated.
Ongoing activities include animal control, grass cutting, litter control, drainage facility maintenance, sign and pavement marking as well as pavement strength for construction work.
Mabeo said that the second package, which has a budget of more than P900 million has also been awarded to the same company.
“A detailed design for the improvement work and rehabilitation have been prepared by the contractor and are under review by the Department of Roads and monitoring consultants,” he said.
Mabeo also said that villages which lie in a radius of 10km to the village, would be affected by the project. He added that his ministry has allocated 20% of the road levy to the maintenance of roads.
Mabeo challenged the council to secure borrow pits that can in future supply concrete to the contractors at a price, adding that he was counting on the villagers’ support to make the project a success.
Southern District Council deputy chairman, Alec Seametso, stated that they need a quarterly report on progress of the project, for monitoring purposes.