19 May 2024

 The President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi and some ministers have appreciated the slurry seal application currently being used as one of the methods to repair road defects.

The President and ministers were taken on a demonstration exercise on a 500m stretch along the A1 road on Thursday, during which Minister of Transport and Public Works, Mr Eric Molale explained that the ministry was currently devising alternative methods for road maintenance in the quest to improve road infrastructure.

Mr Molale said the ministry had been benchmarking on some of the best practices for carrying out road maintenance and road construction, and was impressed with the Namibia’s slurry seal method that prevented the entry of water into the underlying layers, thereby extending the lifespan of the road.

He said the slurry seal method ensured that the road was properly compacted and was cheaper compared to asphalt overlay.

“I can confirm that this method is cost effective because it costs lesser than the asphalt overlay which is P3 million a kilometre while the slurry was 1.5 million less,” he said.

Mr Molale said the intention was to pilot the method with shorter routes under 10km in order to determine its performance.

However, he said though the slurry was known for longer wear and better resistance to traffic and cracks, the piloting exercise would help to determine if it was relevant for Botswana’s weather conditions because Namibian weather was mostly humid.

For his part, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Sethabelo Modukanele said the slurry method was ideal for roads that would be constructed under the Constituency Community Projects (CCP) initiative.

Mr Modukanele said the slurry method could be applied on paved roads that had already settled to make them intact and stronger.

“I am convinced that this would serve us well at local government on our district roads,” he said.

Roads Department director, Mr Masego Gertz said the slurry seal was a better alternative to the asphalt overlay and was ideal for protecting the road base from moisture ingress.

Mr Gertz said they intended to prioritise the use of slurry seal for shorter routes in order to assess its performance under different weather conditions.

Though he could not ascertain whether slurry seal could contribute to further deterioration of the road, he said he was impressed with its performance where it was used, and confirmed that the method could also be used for district council roads.

Meanwhile, Bango Trading general manager, Mr Stefanus Botha explained that the slurry seal method used was a combination of some aggregates and seals that rejuvenated the road and ensured its longevity.

Mr Botha said the slurry application was safe and durable for all weathers with acceptable noise level.

He added that it also prohibited damage of vehicles from aggregate loss and further protected the underlying layer from the abrasive and destructive forces of traffic. ENDS