A peep into the Land Ministry's innards
Staff Writer | Friday February 26, 2021 16:07
Mmegi: How many works project tenders were approved and funded by the Land Ministry during this financial year? And what is the total sum of all these approved tenders?
MLMWSS: From the Ministry’s 2020/21 budget, there were 42 approved works. These included tendering for Master Planning, Design Review and Construction. It is important to note that most of these projects spill over from one financial year to the other. Out of these 42 projects, 13 tenders were awarded during the financial year 2020/21for a total amount of P6, 524, 028, 707. The sum of all the 42 tenders came to P12, 103, 347, 081. 2.
Mmegi: Where are these works project tenders situated?
MLMWSS: The projects cut across the country (as they cover land servicing, water and sanitation) as listed below. Project areas:
Sowa, Metsimotlhabe, Kasane, Moshupa, Lesoma, Francistown, Kalamare, Mabutsane, Gaborone, Gantsi, Kasane, Kazungula, Selebi-Phikwe, Palapye, Seuwane, Mmopane, Mochudi, Ramotswa, Tumasera/Seleka, Lentsweletau, Bobirwa, Lobatse, Lerwana, Mogojogojo, Letsibogo, Moralale, Mahalapye, Mmamashia, Mahalapye to Tswapong South Villages (Taupye , Shakwe , Moshopha, Ramokgonami, Tumasera/ Seleka, Maape 1 & 2, Pilikwe , Mhalapitsa, Sefhare, Matlhako, Letoreng, Machaneng, Borotsi,Chadibe, Mokobeng and Ngwapa), Oodi, Hukuntsi, Lokgwabe, Lehututu, Tshane, Kule, Ncojane, Metsimantle, Metsimantsho, Ranyane, Ncaang, Monong, Make, Ukwi, Ngwatle, Zutshwa and Hunhukwe, Masama, Seronga, Gunotsoga, Beetsha, Gudigwa, Mokgacha, Shakawe, Maun, Nxaraga, Shashe, Kanye, Serule, Mmadinare, Damochojeena, Gojwane, Moreomabele and Topisi.
Mmegi: Of all these projects, how many were halted for allegations of corruption by Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) or Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS)?
MLMWSS: One.
Mmegi: Which of the tenders are still under investigation and when are they expected to commence?
MLMWSS: There is only one land servicing project implemented by SPEDU, which is being investigated at the moment and timelines are yet to be known, otherwise all other Ministry projects at procurement phase are progressing well.
Mmegi: How many of the tenders which are funded by your ministry are before Courts of law?
MLMWSS: All Ministry projects which were affected by litigation have been resolved. They were dealt with at the High Court or at PPADB. These were the land servicing projects (at Nnyungwe, Palapye, Sowa, and Kgatleng) and Water Projects (at Maun and Ncojane). Otherwise all other ministry projects at procurement phase are progressing well.
Mmegi: The Chief Justice recently unhappily observed that cases relating to public tenders take inordinately long to be resolved. What is the ministry doing to avoid costs overruns and associated hardships as a result of these cases?
MLMWSS: Recently the Chief Justice observed that cases relating to public tenders take inordinately long to be resolved culminating in delays in project implementation and infrastructure development, cost overruns and associated hardships such as inability to timeously provide much needed development and services to the prejudice and detriment of the communities intended to benefit.
In order to address this issue, the Chief Justice has determined that cases relating to public tenders are of exceptional public importance and must be treated as urgent applications, be given expedited management, set downs, disposal and be prioritised and removed from the normal track of other cases. The Ministry is very much in support of this decision as it will help to speed up projects whenever they go to court, which the ministry is trying to minimise by continuously improving project management skills.
Once there is a tender case before the Courts of Law, the ministry has to wait until judgement has been made, sometimes interventions can be sought from the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security to speed up the turn-around time. In some cases, the Ministry is able to reduce associated hardships, for example in the case of water delivery projects, bowsing is provided to ensure availability of water to affected communities whilst the case is before court.
Mmegi:What are the cost implications of the suspension of the projects and who shoulders these cost implications?
MLMWSS: The suspension of project implementation often leads to implementation of projects at higher rates compared to the time when projects were conceived mainly due to the rise in the cost of living.
Construction items tend to increase in cost over a period of time, so the quicker issues are resolved the better for procuring entities. The tax payer or government often shoulders the cost arising from such delays.