26 Mar 2019

The approximately P214.4 million Gabane infrastructure development project is now expected to be completed in April 2020 instead of November this year.

Speaking to BOPA, Kweneng District principal roads engineer Mr Tlamelo Segootsane said the the Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) project would be completed five months behind schedule due to additional works.

He said progress on the project, which commenced in August 2017,  currently stood at 55 per cent. 

It includes construction of 21.2  km of tarred roads, storm water drainage and putting up street lights covering 4.5 km.

Mr Segotsane said because Gabane was prone to floods, construction of most roads inclded side drains to control flooding.

Some P40 million was budgeted for storm water drainage and related works, he said. 

Mr Segotsane revealed that it had proved difficult to improve on existing gravel networks therefore the new roads will follow the same shapes and turns. He however said safety had been taken into consideration.

He further said 252 plots had been affected by the works while 14 homes faced relocation.

Another challenge, Mr Segotsane said, was to do with constructing bus stops saying temporary bypassing roads had to be built for public and personal transport, inconveniencing commuters in the process.

He said those to be relocated had been compensated and had since been allocated plots planned for servicing.

“We also encountered issues of burial sites located in homesteads and some homesteads owners contesting compensation amounts. These caused delays of the project progress and unplanned expenses,” he said.

Mr Segootsane commended village leadership, Gabane community and stakeholders for the spirit of cooperation they continued to exhibit. ENDS