25 Feb 2021

Maintenance works are underway to repair potholes and edge damages on Gaborone’s roads, Gaborone City Council's (GCC) Ms Segametsi Kebonang has said.  

In an interview with BOPA recently,  she said cognisant of the defects in the city’s roads, the danger posed to vehicles and adjacent structures due to accidents GCC had moved to take immediate action.

The GCC public relations officer said the pothole situation  was worsened by the fact that during the last financial year, the usual outsourcing of works to private companies did not materialise due to tender cancellation.

“The tender was cancelled following a protest and appeal by  contractors contesting the award,” she explained.

In addition, Ms Kebonang said the situation was exacerbated by the fact that most of the city’s roads had outlived their design life hence infiltration of rain water into road surfaces coupled with poor storm water drainage system.

“GCC is however doing all it can to address the situation,” she said.

Ms Kebonang said although the continuous rainfall made it  difficult for maintenance to be carried out, simultaneous patching of potholes by the council crew was underway.

Currently operating with only its inhouse crew, Ms Kebonang said the council was faced with a mammoth task given the numerous potholes and the vastness of the area to be covered.

She said however said the council was expecting to sign contracts with some private companies before the end of February with commencement of works expected in the first week of March.

 

 Ms Kebonang advised motorists to be cautious and be mindful of the potholes around the city. ENDS