24 Jul 2024

The introduction of the development manager model in project implementation is due to benefit citizens through improved delivery of projects as well as the employment of citizens, and the mentoring of local companies, Minister of Transport and Public Works, Mr Eric Molale has said.

Addressing a press conference in Gaborone on Tuesday, Mr Molale said 149 projects countrywide were being executed through the development manager model, an approach where private developers join forces with government to efficiently manage projects in order to mitigate financial risks and exchange expertise to improve project delivery.

He said the benefits that would accrue to the government and nation included compliance to legal instruments, value chain development and employment opportunities, with 700 citizens either directly employed or kept in employment by the nine development managers as they engage local firms.

“During construction we expect employment to reach a level of 150 employees at peak per project. Cumulative we estimate at peak almost 30 000 locals to be employed during the life of the projects,” Mr Molale said.

He said there would be an opportunity for skills transfer and for extensive value chain development through the supply of aggregates and quarry sand being reserved for citizens and citizen contractors.

“There is an opportunity for the resuscitation of the Lobatse Clay Works factory to complement Makoro Bricks to supply the required bricks for the various health facilities, primary schools and similar infrastructure projects across the country, and increase local production of Kalahari Sand Blocks for uptake through the various projects,” he pointed out.

Mr Molale said among these projects, construction or reconstruction of four road projects - the Tshesebe-Masunga, Mmandunyane-Mathangwane, Molepolole-Thamaga and Machaneng-Ramokgonami, as well as Mabeleapudi access road - were already completed.

He indicated that the Centre for Children with Multiple Disabilities in Maun, a Ministry of Education project as well as 224 Self Help Housing Agency (SHAA) housing units, were also completed using the development manager mode.

Mr Molale stated that his ministry acknowledged various challenges that impede timely delivery of projects.

“However, through the adoption of other strategies such as Development Managers, our ministry is starting to mitigate and address some of the implementation challenges. Currently some of our newly established district offices do not have resources such vehicles, office and staff accommodation.

This creates an opportunity for individual Batswana and citizen contractors to avail such resources for rental by my Ministry,” Mr Molale said.

He said the projects ready for construction included the Nata-Gweta, Nata-Ngwasha, Francistown-Nata, Modipane-Mabalane, and the Mogoditshane-Gabane-Mmankgodi roads; and schools including the Goldmine, Chamabona, Nkange and Shanganani junior secondary schools as well as some primary schools countrywide.

Mr Molale disclosed that following the decision by government to rationalise portfolio responsibilities and mandates of ministries and state owned enterprises in 2021, the ministry between June 2022 and August 2023 developed its organisational structure.

This resulted in the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, which is mandated to operate infrastructure development, housing and transport funtions, evolving three key sections; public works services, road transport services and Corporate Services.

“Following approval of the functional and operational structures for the ministry, including the district-based structure, the ministry managed to rationalise existing vacancies to facilitate deployment and redeployment of staff to the 31 districts; and the promotions and transfer of officers as district coordinators,” Mr Molale revealed. ENDS