SPEDU infrastructure development kicks off
SELEBI-PHIKWE: A works contract for the design and building of Phase 1 infrastructure in both Bolelanoto and Senwelo Industrial Sites in Selebi-Phikwe is progressing well despite funding hiatus from the relevant ministry.
The P230, 531, 402. 76 works contract entails the provision of detailed designs of infrastructure, construction of road works, storm water drains, water reticulation, sewer pump stations, power reticulation, street lighting and telecommunications.
Its period of performance is estimated to be 15 months and 12 months defects notification.
Around July 2019, SPEDU Limited floated the tender and Marcian Concepts (PTY) Ltd was declared a successful bidder on June 3, 2020 and accepted the offer. The losing bidder Lempehu Investments (PTY) Ltd approached the Gaborone High Court claiming urgency and lost before Justice Dr Godfrey Radijeng in August 2020.
Meanwhile, a recent visit to the former copper nickel-mining town revealed that the works are being carried out and the project is underway.
This is despite the Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services refusing to release funds for unclear reasons. A contractor at the site said they were within schedule as they were busy with mobilisation and establishment, bush clearing and grading.
Marcian Concepts (Pty) Ltd is a 100% citizen-owned construction company based in Gaborone.
The company specialises in major infrastructure projects including roads, storm water drainage, portable and wastewater reticulation, electrical and telecommunication works to name but a few. SPEDU is tasked with the mandate of driving the diversification programme through the identification of opportunities in the various economic sectors such as tourism, manufacturing and industry, agribusiness, infrastructure and services.
The main intention is to reduce overreliance on the finite fortunes of the mining and smelting activities of the BCL Mine, currently under liquidation.
It is believed that amongst others, the land servicing of the industrial plots, peripheral urban agriculture sites and provision of tourism related accommodation would provide an impetus that will increase both uptake and development of the serviced land, resulting in downstream beneficiation.
On another level, the project entails land servicing of industrial sites within the Selebi-Phikwe planning boundary.
The services include water reticulation, sewer reticulation, roads network, storm water drainage, power reticulation, street lighting and telecommunications reticulation.
The Industrial area is located at Bolelanoto and Senwelo wards in SelebiPhikwe along the main arterial road from Serule to the mining town, which was home to the now defunct BCL Mine.
There are 39 large-scale plots between these two layouts.
The Enterprise zone is located adjacent to the Industrial site in Bolelanoto ward along Serule/Selebi-Phikwe national road. The site measures around 68 hectares and has four structured land parcels. Out of the four, there are three structured parcels of land zoned for industrial use and the site measures around 39.1 hectares.
Selebi-Phikwe West Member of Parliament (MP), Dithapelo Keorapetse said according to the Selebi-Phikwe Planning Area Development Plan (20112035), a site has been earmarked as an industrial hub for Large Scale Industrial Manufacturing industries that require a land mass of more than four hectares.
“Within the land use profile of SelebiPhikwe Township, there are existing serviced industrial plots that are less than the required threshold of four hectares and above.
The project entails land servicing of industrial sites within the SelebiPhikwe planning boundary. The services include water and sewer reticulation, roads and storm water, power and telecommunications reticulation,” Keorapetse said.
He added that as SPEDU’s mandate is to attract investors into the region, the organisation has chosen industrial development as one of the key development areas that will really diversify the economic base of the region.
“SPEDU has placed these industrial plots under SPEDU land bank and the object is to package these plots and ready them for prospective investors.
There are six investors who have already been allocated land within the Industrial Precinct, but the major hindrance has been lack of infrastructure services in these parcels of land.”
The youthful MP asserted that the ultimate goal of the project is to develop infrastructure within the Selebi-Phikwe Planning Boundary for the purpose of creating a conducive environment for investors for a 20-year design life.
He further explained that the direct economic benefits of an infrastructure project for the people of Selebi-Phikwe and the SPEDU region have long been recognised the day the BCL Mine went into liquidation.
These include amongst others job creation, and the growth of small and medium enterprises, the informal sector and those vulnerable and marginalised people – women who sell airtime and sweets will set up their stalls by the construction site.