Africa-Press – Botswana. The Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr Ketlhalefile Motshegwa has said that the sewerage tender for the extension of sewage collection at Ranfurwa Ward in Tlokweng was granted by the South East District Council in 2007, not 2011.
Answering a question in Parliament on Thursday, he said it was for a tender amount of P1 063 844.10.
He observed that the contractor failed to finish the project by the planned deadline in May 2008.
The minister said an extension until October 2008 was granted, yet the company still did not finish the work.
He said this resulted in the contract’s cancellation in March 2009, by which time merely 11.5 per cent of the tasks had been completed.
Mr Motshegwa said that the initiative received funding through Village Water Supply and Sewerage (LG 111), which had a total budget of P1 030 954.54, instead of P4 million.
He mentioned that while the project was being built, the contractor pointed out price increases on multiple essential elements, asking for a P4 million adjustment.
Minister Motshegwa said that the extra expense surpassed the council’s ability to manage, resulting in the contractor leaving the site and the eventual cancellation of the contract.
Additionally, he said that in the 2010 Water Sector Transformation initiative, the project was transferred to Water Utilities Corporation.
He stated that the funds allocated for the project under LG 111 had already been used for other operational sewerage projects by the time of transfer.
Mr Motshegwa said the ministry has begun collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Human Settlements to complete the project and assist the residents of Ranfurwa.
He was responding to a question from the MP for Tlokweng, Mr Phenyo Segokgo, who had asked the minister to state if he was aware of a sewerage tender that was awarded by the council in Ranfurwa ward in 2011 and was incomplete.
Mr Segokgo also asked if the minister was aware that the P4 million that was budgeted for the tender was still in the government’s coffers; and to state if he will consider sending money to the Water Department for completion of the project.
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