Molapowabojang truck owners cry foul

Resident truck owners of Molapowabojang, a Southern District village located between Lobatse and Kanye, 87 km from the capital Gaborone are up in arms over the ongoing rehabilitation of internal roads. Their gripe is that they have been denied work; instead the job has been given to outsiders. The local truck owners are grieved that they are often forced to watch helplessly as their trucks are parked and they are without employment while outsiders are preferred. “This is not the first time that we have had to park our trucks and watch companies from either Kanye or Gaborone come and do work here,” said a frustrated Phenyo Nkakelang who owns three trucks, adding “we often hear about promotion of local empowerment, it does not exist in Molapowabojang,” he fumed. He alleged that the work that is currently underway was only advertised in Kanye, the administrative centre of the Southern district while Molapowabojang residents were left in the dark about the coming job opportunities. Nkakelang said it pains them that they were spectators even during the construction of two bridges in the village when companies from outside were engaged. “We also are registered with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) and have TAX clearance certificates, why can’t we be engaged,” he quizzed. Another trucker, Mothusi Silabo says the situation is disturbing because if they do not do anything, many future opportunities in their village might pass them by. “We have heard of future jobs including construction of the primary school classes, but the way jobs are awarded, we are beginning to worry.” Silabo who owns a tipper truck added that though they have engaged their area Councilor, Calvin Matlale to intervene, nothing significant has been done, except that the Roads Engineer from the Kanye Administrative Authority has apologised for not notifying Molapowabojang residents. The Roads Engineer, Carter Smile was expected to meet with truck owners on Monday this week but did not turn up. “We hear that from here, these people (contractors) will proceed to Lotlhakane to do some internal roads there as well, but if there are capable companies in Lotlhakane they should be involved,” Silabo said. Councilor Matlale of Molapowabojang East said in an interview that he is aware of the displeasure of local truck owners, however, there is very little he could do to intervene. “All I did was to hear them out and make an effort to contact the Road Engineer to come and address them, which he agreed to,” Matlale said. Reached for comment, Road Engineer at the Kanye Administrative Authority, Carter Smile though cagey admitted that he had agreed to go and address the truck owners after the area Councilor had contacted him, however, he has not been able to do so. Further enquiries from Senior Assistant Council Secretary, were futile as he was locked in meetings.