P1.7b Mogoditshane-Gabane Road project conundrum
The controversial tender to convert Mogoditshane-Gabane-Mmankgodi junction road to a dual carriageway continues to be an administrative headache within the government enclave as its commencement has stalled.
It is well over three years with the project failing to get underway since procurement in February 2019. The stalling of the P1.7 billion project started when the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) jumped into the fray and launched an investigation on allegations of irregularities. The investigations were instituted on the adjudication process that was employed.
The investigations did not bear any fruit as there were no irregularities. PPADB dismissed the findings of the DIS and proceeded to recommend the award as the Board did not consider security issues as there was no such in the tender requirement.
The DIS through a letter to the PPADB from Director General Peter Magosi dated September 7th 2021 marked ‘Secret’, explained that it transmitted its investigations finding Report after its investigation team briefed the PPADB Board during a meeting of July 22nd 2021.
Information reaching Botswana Guardian is that following the cancellation of the tender last year, now the Ministry of Transport and Public Works wants to do direct appointment of a bidder who came third during recommendation stage.
This is said to be a recommendation of the DIS. The plan according to sources, is to award the project to TIC/ China Rail JV against the initial recommended Consolidated Construction Company/Stefanutti Stocks Joint Venture (CCC/SS JV).
While the Minister of Transport and Public Works Eric Molale told Parliament in December last year that it would not take six months before concluding tendering and procurement process, as things stand the odds are against the ministry.
It is further alleged that there are plans to do the project applying the framework of the Development Manager Concept (DMC) with the aim of reducing the cost and risk to the government.
This is however against a directive that the Permanent Secretary to the President Emma Peloetletse made in November 2021 that following analysis of the readiness of the project for implementation it was resolved that given the unfavourable condition to implement the project through the DMC, the ministry will undertake the project through the usual means.
This controversial project together with the construction of 84km Mmandunyane-Shashemoooke-Borolong-Chadibe-Mathangwane Road and access roads of Natale and Makobo which will start on the 19th of June 2023 are said to have been the cause for Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Kgomotso Abi leaving.
Abi is said to have been against the awarding of the Mmandunyane-Shashemooke project to Unik Construction Engineering (Pty) Ltd. He is said to have also wanted to completely cancel the Mogoditshane-Gabane- Mankgodi Junction project.
While the Mogoditshane-Gabane-Mankgodi road project stalls the ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Mmandunyane this past Sunday of the 24-months contract that was awarded to Unik Construction Engineering (Pty) Ltd for a sum of P675,730,941.34. The event was graced by the Acting Minister of Transport and Public Works Aubrey Lesaso.
Documents seen by this publication have shown that the PSP expressed concern for the delay of the project. A Savingram from Permanent Secretary to the President dated November 23rd 2021 stated that the Mogoditshane- Gabane-Mankgodi Dual carriageway Project stalled for almost a year.
She stated that a series of meetings have been held correspondences exchanged between Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), Ministry of Transport and Communications - now Ministry of Transport and Public Works, Office of the Permanent Secretary to the President, and PPADB. She revealed that the ministry was directed to explore possibility of implementing the project using DMC.
“The above assignment has since been concluded and a presentation made. The summary conclusions on the assignment is that given the result of the readiness matrix, the Development Manager Concept cannot be feasible for this project due to a number of requirement which are not yet established at this point.
“That the investigation undertaken by DIS or any other institution should not stop the project, but could continue parallel to implementation. DIS will pursue this matter as they deem fit,” Peloetletse said in the Savingram.
She said as a way forward the project should be done at the initial approved P1.46 billion as an adherence to cost containment.
Following this, the ministry said it took a decision in the best interest of the project progress, through Roads Department to downscale or omit some of the Provisional Sum items in a bid to reduce the cost of the project to meet the budget requirement of P1, 460, 999, 872.00.
“In carrying out the exercise, the interchange at SuperSave estimated at a cost of P230, 000, 00 is the first to be considered for removal. The omission of the interchange, which is not yet designed includes its associated provisional sum items like landscaping and grassing.
“Secondly, the other items considered are the water relocations and replacement of traffic signals which are also brought about by construction of the interchange,” said Rule Opelo, Permanent Secretary in the ministry.
Efforts to get a comment from the ministry were futile this week as the Principal Public Relations Officer Doreen Motshegwa directed this publication to the Department of Roads which she said is seized with the questionnaire sent to her.
Deputy Director of Roads Lekang Motshwaedi when contacted referred this publication to the public relations Officer Moemedi Matsoga who said that the draft response has been sent to the ministry for attention of the Technical and Permanent Secretary's approval.
Minister Molale told Parliament in December last year that the tender has been cancelled due to a number of reasons including cost escalations delayed and prolonged adjudication.
'There have been delays as I say related to this process including the credibility of the adjudication process itself, attempt to source additional funds for projects which did not bear fruit, attempt to reduce costs such as that projects could be awarded within the provided for budget which also did not bear fruits.'
Molale further said, “I will not take more than six months to re-tender and complete the procurement process for the project. There would not be any direct appointment, people had tendered.
“We are going to have professionals auditing those submissions and then asking the contractors to see if they cannot update what they had submitted. So, we are not going to re-tender, that is why we are not talking re-design, but the tender process would be such that what had been done regarding the submissions will be audited and if there are any updates so that we cut the time for this project gore e (so that it) commence.'