Water connection delays police station occupation

 

Responding to a Mmegi questionnaire, The Ministry of Infrastructure, Science and Technology principal public relations officer, Malepa Dibonwa said the contractor for the project completed and handed it over to the government in September 2012. Dibonwa explained that it was found that the water connection point provided was too small for bulk water reticulation thus the delay in occupancy. He also said the project cost the government P146 million.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Palapye, Moiseraela Goya lashed out when contacted by phone, saying it is a shame that the offices are lying idle because water pipes do not match. He revealed that Palapye police officers are demoralised because they had expected to have long moved to the new offices. He stated that the police do a sensitive job and they need a good working environment.'I am disappointed by the turn of events. The facility could have been occupied last year but that did not happen. I have even posed a question to the Minister of Justice, Defence and Security, Ramadeluka Seretse in parliament on the state of the police station and I did not get a convincing response,' said Goya.

He stated that the explanation he was given is that there were 'some unforeseen circumstances regarding water pipes'. He said when the facility was initially built, they were informed that it would be a district headquarters but after its completion, they were informed that it is just an ordinary police station. Goya said it is preposterous for that decision to have been taken without informing the leadership of the village. He said that the idea was for police officers to relocate to the new offices while the old offices and police houses were being renovated. After that, some of them were to move back to the old station while others would remain at the new offices.

Goya argued that the old offices cannot just be abandoned, as it seems will be the case. The legislator promised to do a follow up on the question in the next Parliamentary session. Goya further said it will be a challenge for the residents to access the services of the new station because it is far from the village; noting that most residents will not have transport fare to travel to the new facility hence they need the old police station to continue being in use.