BDF, Roads erect Nnywane River bridge
Bame Piet | Tuesday March 7, 2017 17:00
“We can confirm that the BDF has bridging capabilities and is currently working in collaboration with the Department of Roads to assist them in laying their Acrow Panel bridge across the Nnywane River at the recently damaged Lobatse/Otse bridge.
This inter-departmental assistance is in consonance with the whole of Government approach concept,” said BDF Director of Protocol and Public Affairs Col Tebo Dikole responding to Mmegi enquiries yesterday.
Dikole however, had ignored our enquiry on whether the BDF has bailey bridges usually used in combat and during natural disasters.
Indications are that at some point the BDF had two or three of such bridges, which have since disappeared from its inventory, hence it has taken so long for the army to respond to the damage caused by floods. One other reason, according to our sources, was that the other authorities took too long to approach the BDF for assistance , especially concerning the bridge.
“Along the breadth of providing aid to civil authority, the BDF continues to assist those affected in the recent floods by providing airboats and trucks in the rescue operations in accordance with Section 175, Sub Section 1 of the BDF Act,” Dikole said in his response.
He said the BDF has in the past constructed bridges in areas that needed assistance such as in Marobela, Maunatlala and Rakops.
“Moreover, the BDF has and continues to avail personnel and fire equipment during veldt fires,” he said. Mmegi had wanted the BDF to state whether it has bailey bridges that are a must-have in any military setup. The Lobatse/Otse road was `nfalls that caused floods leaving a trail of damage to property.
This has resulted in congestion in alternative roads of Kanye Gaborone, and Mmathethe-Mogobane-Gaborone roads. So far, four people have died in separate accidents along the Mogobane-Mmathethe road. Communications Manager at the Roads Department Doreen Moapare said that the stakeholders, including the BDF, have begun mobilisation of a Bailey bridge (a steel temporary bridge) which will be placed strategically over the existing Nywane Bridge to enable only light vehicles to pass through.
She added that an existing 1.2km bypass adjacent to the collapsed bridge is being cleared and prepared for use by light vehicles.
'No trucks, buses or any heavy vehicles will be allowed through the Bailey bridge and bypass. Roads engineers are working closely with BDF engineers to ensure that the Bailey bridge is functioning by next week Monday 13th March 2017,' she said.