30 Mar 2025

The Kanye-Mmathethe Road construction, which started in November 2024, is expected to be complete in July 2026.

Briefing Kanye District councillors recently, acting principal roads engineer in the Department of Road Infrastructure Development and Maintenance, Mr Joel Magadi said the project entailed the Asphalt overlay of Mmathethe-Kanye 50km road and the 8.5km construction of Diabo access road.

The two projects were awarded to Bango Trading at P287 million. 

Mr Magadi, who is also Kanye-Mmathethe road project manager, said the project scope was Asphalt Overlay of Mmathethe-Kanye Road project, which was necessary due to its deteriorated status. 

He said the road would be layered with a 30mm asphalt mix.

Furthermore, he said the Diabo access road would be upgraded from grave to tarmac standard. 

Also, he said the project was behind by 2 per cent adding that the overall progress of the project was at 23 per cent as opposed to the expected 25 per cent planned for March 16.

He attributed the delay to the recent downpours.

“We are currently at 80 per cent of design of the identified reconstruction points on the road with 80 per cent pothole patching, while edge repairs are at 60 per cent and 40 per cent of slurry sealing,” he said, adding that laying asphalt, was at 36 per cent, that is 18km of the 50km. 

On the Diabo access road, Mr Magadi said the data needed had already been collected and the preliminary design of the access had been given to the employer. 

He said the contactor was carrying out the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) as guided by the Department of Environmental Protection to approve it for the Diabo route.

He further said the project acquired building materials, such as aggregates and asphalt mix from Belabela Quarries, Mmamashia while the gravel was obtained from a commercial source in Thamaga, adding that the bitumen/tar was obtained from TOSA Botswana in Phakalane. 

He said cement and other construction accessories were sourced from hardwares in Kanye.

He said concerned stakeholders in the project such as dikgosi in Kanye, Diabo and Mmathethe residents, Office of members of parliament, district commissioners at Good Hope/Mmathethe District, Botswana Power Corporation, Kanye District Council, Water Utilities Corporation, landboard and the farmers association had been consulted.

He highlighted that 57 people from Kanye and Mmathethe were employed, adding that the current number would increase when the Diabo access road construction begins.

Responding to concerns raised by some of the councillors on the consistent common pothole occurrence, Mr Magadi said the potholes were formed mainly due to delayed maintenance cycles, which were done when the road structure had been overly affected. 

He said damaged road structure led to irreparable potholes thereby leading to consistent patching.

He further highlighted that sourcing much of the materials from as far as Gaborone was because asphalt mix needed a machinery plant and as such the contractor was still in talks with the suppliers locally to confirm their mining licenses to assist with getting materials nearby. ENDS