Gcc Loses Money As Old Naledi Upgrade Delays

CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI
Staff Writer | Monday September 20, 2010 00:00

 

Briefing Gaborone City Councillors on Friday, the site manager said that GCC is losing money and paying about P10 000 a day to the contractors as long as they have a valid reason to the delays. 

The deputy city clerk, Leboile Israel spoke of specific cases and how the families' attitude is stalling development.

'The two families have long signed consent papers to be relocated and even accepted compensation but now are taking long to go. We gave them a deadline of end of August which has elapsed and she has promised to move her belongings to her daughter in town while waiting to complete her house in Block 10,' Israel said.

In another case, he revealed that the owner had accepted compensation to have part of her fence moved back which would see part of her garden demolished but she has now changed her mind. 'She even refused to acknowledge receipt of one letter that was hand delivered to her, instead she has stated that she wants a meeting with the mayor. We have decided to go ahead and demolish the fence today (Friday) because the time that is supposed to be used to complete that part is being used arguing with her while she has already taken the compensation money from us,' Israel said.

During the tour the councillors learnt that former GCC deputy mayor Ezekiel Dube was among those who was refusing to make way for the developments. 'He has even refused to sign the consent papers and said that the money was too little for the slab and the wall which have since been demolished. We appeal to your councillors to engage him as you worked with him before even on the plans of this project,' he said.

The site manager revealed that the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) are among those also delaying the project after being paid to move their cables a year ago but are yet to do so. Israel explained that the GCC leadership had a meeting with the senior management of BPC and agreed that further delays from them would result in them paying the contractor's costs. Theft of materials being used around the Gaborone slum was cited as another problem.

The P90 million project to upgrade the slum started in June 2008 and was supposed to be ready by December 2010 but has since been moved to March 2011.