Following the completion of the multi-million Pula Masama-Mmamashia water project last week, President Masisi held a groundbreaking ceremony for yet another significant water project, the Lobatse Water Supply Master Plan (LWSMP1), on Thursday. The President’s P1 billion water project is vital to developing two major projects in Lobatse: the Lobatse Milk and the Leather Park.
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The water project was conceived in 2009 to alleviate water scarcity in the Greater Gaborone zone. Ramotswa, Otse, Mogobane, Mankgodi, Manyana, Goodhope, Lekgolobotlo, Mmathethe, Molapowabojang, and the adjacent villages are among these locations. Some important prospective projects in Lobatse, such as Lobatse Leather Park, Milk Afric, and the Pioneer Border Gate, are dependent on the project’s performance to take off and run efficiently. Despite the government investing the required cash, the two projects have struggled to get off the ground.
Lobatse Leather Park to benefit from the water supply project
At full capacity, the Lobatse Leather Park is expected to provide 4700 employment at the start and 7000 jobs at the end. With the help of the state-owned cattle enterprise Botswana Meat Commission, the project comprises the construction of a complex for various tanneries. Primary infrastructure will include a shared effluent treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, and other facilities.
When fully operational, the park is anticipated to provide hides and skins to the private sector and raw to completed leather tanneries for the production of various leather products. Shoes, belts, coats, and other accessories are among these items, and they play an essential role in boosting economic activity. The Leather Beneficiation Park is crucial for the leather industry since it would allow Botswana to transition from raw leather exports to completed leather items.
Meanwhile, the Milk Afric dairy farm project, which was set to be completed in the second half of 2018, has been abandoned after initial cooperation between the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) and Milk Afric failed to show fruit. The BDC has been looking for a new project partner.
When fully operational, the farm would produce 21.9 million liters of milk or one-third of the country’s annual milk consumption of 65 million liters. Botswana now imports about 58.8 million liters from South Africa for a total cost of P345 million per year.
The P120 million project is a Public-Private Partnership between Lobatse Town Council (LTC), which has a 10% stake in the project by leasing its 1375.4 ha farm for 25 years, and Botswana Development Corporation, which has a 26% stake.
Masisi remarked during the groundbreaking ceremony in Ramotswa that this infrastructure development will permit big initiatives in the Lobatse region, which are vital to the ailing, ancient town and boost water supplies for home purposes and livelihoods.
The Lobatse Water Supply project was granted to China State Construction and Engineering Corporation/Van and Truck Hire Joint Venture.
This water project has resulted in the creation of 637 employment. From Gaborone to Lobatse, the transmission pipeline will transport 63 million liters of water each day. This is a significant improvement over the previous average water supply of 14 million liters to Lobatse, Borolong, and the adjacent communities.
