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KAZUNGULA BRIDGE DELAYS BY TEN MONTHS
Completion of the Kazungla Bridge project, initially set for August, is now expected in June next year.
Briefing the Chobe leadership recently, following suspension of work by contractor Daewoo Engineering and Construction, consultants team leader Mr Kobamelo Kgoboko said construction was suspended March 1-10 as well as last week due to late payments.
He said progress was currently at 75.62 per cent as opposed to the planned 86 per cent due to a number of challenges such as suspension of work, slow rate of work and failure to maintain the seven day casting cycle for deck segment.
Other components of the project, he said, the Botswana One Stop Border Post and the Zambian one were currently at 95.9 per cent against the planned 96.8 per cent and 59.86 per cent compared to the revised planned progress of 78.36 per cent respectively.
He explained that the expected completion date for the Botswana post was June instead of May while the Zambian one was anticipated to be complete by December.
Mr Kgoboko said mitigation measures to avoid further delays included encouraging the client, the Botswana and Zambian governments, to pay the contractor promptly and advising the contractor to reduce the cycle time.
For his part, project manager Mr Pius Seone expressed optimism that work at the site would resume soon as the processing of payments on the Zambian side had started.
Mr Seone said he was optimistic that while work was suspended last week as a result of delayed payments, the issue would be promptly addressed.
Chobe MP and also Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Machana Shamukuni stressed the importance of the project noting that it had created employment.
After completion, he said, it would reduce transit time for freight and passengers, boost the regional economy and even increase global competitiveness of goods from Botswana and Zambia due to reduced time-based trade and transport costs.
Mr Shamukuni said as the district leadership, they found it fit to get first-hand information on the suspension of work at the site.
He, however, clarified that Botswana was up-to-date in terms of payments its partner was still lagging behind.
Mr Shamukuni informed his audience that the Minister of Transport and Communications Ms Dorcas Makgato, in her updates to Parliament, had assured legislators that everything would revert to track.
He said he had no doubt that the issue of late payment would be resolved and work at the site would resume.
Mr Shamukuni implored the district leadership to assure Batswana that all was not lost and that despite the challenges, the bridge would become a reality.
Plateau acting court president, Kgosi Tshegofatso Samoka thanked the team for the update and urged them to keep the employees abreast of developments to avoid confusion.
Plateau Ward councillor, Mr Boitumelo Kanyetu expressed concern that the issue of houses that cracked as a result of the project had been pending for a long time.
In response Mr Seone concurred that the issue had delayed and promised that residents would be called for an update soon. (BOPA)
Quelle: fb BWgovernment
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