Derelict Railways property an eyesore

KEABETSWE NEWEL
Correspondent | Friday September 3, 2010 00:00

You would be forgiven for thinking that these are just derelict buildings of no use to anyone, such is their state of neglect.

Presently, there is a long line of advertising posters, which have obscured the sorry view. Already there are complaints that criminals are hibernating behind these advertising curtains.

Peel away the curtains, and you will be greeted by a spectacle of rusty corrugated iron sheets, and falling rafters hanging from the regional offices and staff houses.

The white buildings have turned a sordid gray colour more familiar with history books of the Industrial Revolution in Europe.There is nothing about these buildings for the cursory eye to believe they are government property, much less used for public services.  It would be so easy to believe that these buildings were constructed when the train was first invented.

It makes you think of the time when some people around Palapye supposedly ran away when they saw the train arriving thinking it was a giant devouring everything in its wake.

But the appearance of these buildings is really a cause for concern. Francistown being Botswana's second city with the cosmopolitan outlook really looks like a man in a tuxedo stepping out in torn takkies.

To get to the bottom of this problem, Mmegi had to dig deeper to find out how old these buildings really are. They date back to around the 1930s, according to Disho Kealeboga from the Botswana Railways.

During those days of colonialism, there was an organization going by the name of the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association, more especially known by its acronym of WENELA.

WENELA was set up by the gold mines in South Africa as a recruiting agency for migrant workers from as far as Nyasaland (Malawi), Tanganyika (Tanzania), Angola and South West Africa (Namibia). They would lodge for some few days at the WENELA hostels on their way to and from the mines. The company was recruiting people from all over the neighbouring African countries, and its offices were situated in Francistown that are the very same ones opposite the taxi rank to date and are the regional offices of Botswana Railways.

The condition of these buildings also shows that they have not been maintained. Kealeboga, the Botswana Railways Properties estate officer told Mmegi that indeed they are aware of the condition that these buildings are in.

He said that at times they receive complaints from Botswana Railways workers about the conditions of the buildings, saying the majority of the workers have even moved to better housing.

Kealeboga went on to say that although they are responsible for the maintenance of the property of the parastatal, they work as a partnership with the Botswana Railways. He said that they bring forth development proposals, which the Botswana Railways approves if satisfied.

He added: 'We were planning to demolish those buildings and come up with a commercial use for them, and the money accrued from the venture to benefit Francistown City.'Kealeboga said that it was in 2007 when there was a plan to demolish and commercialise the property the following year, 2008, but the Botswana Railways Properties failed to reach a consensus with the Botswana Railways since the former complained of insufficient funds.

According to Kealeboga, plans are afoot to demolish the buildings and put in place a modern office for commercial use. He said that the idea should have a profit motive enough to convince Botswana Railways to partner with the property development department.

An employee of Botswana Railways who shied from being identified, said they were told by the Botswana Railways Properties that the buildings are to be destroyed and be replaced with new ones, although it was not stated when it will be done.

She said that the only reason she was still staying in one of the houses was because she did not earn enough to afford an expensive Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) house.

'These houses are very cheap and everyone prefers to live in them, even our superiors who earn much more stay in the houses as some kind of money saving tactic,' said the woman.

She said that whenever they request the BR Properties to come and repair minor damages such as replacing locks and painting the buildings, they are told that there is no need since the buildings are about to be destroyed but it has been years.

'Only our bosses are the fortunate ones since they get assistance like painting and replacing locks and doors because of their positions as superiors,' she added. Kealeboga however, said some of the buildings cannot be destroyed nor renovated since they are protected for conservation.

He confirmed though that there are plans to destroy buildings located across the railway line north west of the Meriting Spar next to a football pitch and Kgalagadi Breweries.

Kealeboga said the buildings would be destroyed to reveal a fifteen hectares space that will be used to put in place a mall complex.