Africa-Press – Botswana. Contractors of the multi-million Pula Kasane water treatment plant have been warned that no funds would be available for the project if the March 28 completion date is not met.
The warning was issued by Minister of Lands and Water Affairs Dr Kefentse Mzwinila after a tour of the project on Tuesday.
Expressing concern that the project was 7.5 per cent behind schedule, he said it was crucial that it be finished before the end of the financial year on March 31 which also marked the end of National Development Plan (NDP) 11.
Should the project fail to meet the deadline, funds allocated for it would revert to the consolidated fund after which it would be difficult to get a budget as the project was not part of the new NDP, he said.
Dr Mzwinila therefore urged the contractors, Majara Building Construction – junior partner and Zhong Gan – lead contractor, to expedite the works in order to meet the deadline.
He advised them to ensure major equipment and materials were procured and paid for to avoid any inconveniences at the end of the financial year.
Minister Mzwinila also advised the junior partner to maximise efforts to be at par with the lead contractor.
The minister said local companies needed to demonstrate their readiness for changes in the Joint Venture Partnership Policy that would have them become lead partners in major projects.
While the project was behind schedule, the minister noted that its progress tallied with expenditure. Earlier, the project manager, Mr Herbert Magosi said work commenced in September 2020 with an initial completion date of March this year. Meanwhile, Zhong Gan’s Mr Towheeldul Chowdhvry has reportedly assured the minister that the deadline would be met.
The outstanding electrical and mechanical telemetric installation would be carried out since the equipment was already on site, he said. It was revealed that the partners had also agreed that the lead contractor would assist the junior one in carrying out some works in order to speed up progress.
The plant is meant to meet the current and future water demands for eight of Chobe’s nine villages being Lesoma, Kazungula, Kasane, Mabele, Kavimba, Kachikau, Satau and Parakarungu.
It has an optimal design life of 20 years.
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