Africa-Press – Botswana. Residents of Dihetlhamolelo and Kgale View wards in Gaborone Bonnington South have blamed both the Gaborone City Council for the crime, non-functioning streetlights, and poor storm water drainage in the area.
They expressed their displeasure during a kgotla meeting addressed by the Member of Parliament for Gaborone Bonnington South, Mr Christian Greef on Wednesday.
One resident, Mr James Kgosiemang of Malekantwa Neighbourhood Watch said passages were a contributory factor to crime. Mr Kgosiemang said passages were turned to dumping sites and were impassable since they had overgrown vegetation.
He said consultation with the area councillor, Mr Vincent Motsamai had been futile. Mr Kgosiemang stated that passages adjacent to Regent Primary School were a hideout for criminals, who also stash their loot there.
Mr Kgosiemang said together with some associates, they had apprehended a number of thieves that broke into houses during the day and handed them to the police.
He also said the council was reluctant to cover bare electrical wires that posed danger to lives, and led to power outages in the area.
He said there were culverts that were blocked leading to an overflow of water that flooded people’s homes.
“The council must plan with the people and not plan for the people,” he said.
Another resident, Mr Kgosi Molebo of Garemmogo Neighbourhood Watch said along with his neighbours, they experienced flooding inside their houses during rainy seasons.
He said at one point they took the initiative to unblock storm water trenches, after realising that the council had neglected its responsibility.
Mr Molebo appealed for installation of tower lights to light up a larger area as the current street lighting was not functional. He said the tower lights would light up beyond the streets into the river bank where criminals took cover at night.
In response, Mr Greef said Gaborone Bonnington South had not been catered for in the National Development Plan 11, but was now included in the Transitional National Development Plan
He disclosed that P40 million had been earmarked for the improvement of storm water drainage in the constituency, and that the project, whose construction was to commence in April 2024, was at design stage.
He said the area constituency fund also had P10 million from which street lights and internal roads were to be maintained. Each ward is to receive P1.6million.
MP Greef also said council engineers needed to acquaint themselves with the state of city in order to address issues on time.
He said if the council was proactive, officials would know the bad state of the city’s amenities and address them before they got out of hand.
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