15 Apr 2025

Construction of the 20 kilometres Kokong access road from the A2 junction has been deferred indefinitely owing to budgetary constraints, Department of Roads chief technical officer, Mr Keoagile Modisa told a kgotla meeting addressed by Jwaneng/Mabutsane Member of Parliament (MP) Mr Omphemetse Kwapa yesterday.

He said even though he acknowledged the residents’ concerns about the poor state of the road, the project could not continue as planned due to financial challenges.

“Even though the project was already at tender stage, it had to be deferred due to financial constraints. We do not know if it will be considered in the National Development Plan 12 (NDP 12),” he said.

He explained that shortage of funds also affected bush clearing along the road, making it unsafe for motorists. In the interim, he said the department would consider doing spot improvements on the road. Mr Modisa said even though Kokong residents had offered material towards the improvement of the road, they had to ensure that they were properly licensed to source such material.

The residents complained about the poor state of the road and the overgrown vegetation which they said posed a risk to motorists. They also noted that they were willing to meet the government halfway in the construction of the road by providing gravel material from the village.

The area MP, Mr Kwapa, underscored the importance of the road which he said would contribute towards development in the area and attract investors. He noted that the road would also motivate public transport operators to transport people to other areas.

“The government is committed to ensuring that services arrive where people are located, wherever they are in Botswana. Construction of this road would not only ease movement but would also go a long way in attracting businesses to this area,” he noted. ENDS