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CHAPTER 8

WORKS, TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS

INTRODUCTION

8.1 Government recognises that efficientpublic works, transport andcommunications services are essential toachieve the socio-economic developmentobjectives enshrined in Vision 2016.Transport and communications are thedriving force behind any moderneconomy. As Botswana aspires to be aninternational financial services centre inthe Southern African sub-region,appropriate investments have to be madein the transport and communicationsinfrastructure to facilitate movement ofgoods, persons, services and informationwithin and beyond the borders ofBotswana. At present, the country isserved by a modern transport andcommunications network capable ofsupporting and sustaining various social,economic and investment policies andprogrammes of the Government.

8.2 Public works and transportinfrastructure is mainly provided andmaintained by the Ministry of Works andTransport, while communications are theresponsibility of the newly createdMinistry of Communications, Science andTechnology. Works infrastructure consistsof buildings and their associated servicesengineering service for officeaccommodation of public institutions.Transport includes roads, railways, and airservices. Communications under thissector consists of postal andtelecommunications services. On the otherhand, the Ministry of Environment,Wildlife and Tourism is responsible for thedevelopment and provision ofMeteorological services, which areessential especially for sectors such as

agriculture and aviation. Extensivecoverage of meteorological services in thecountry in terms of weather data collectionand forecasting will be undertaken throughallocation of sufficient financial andhuman resources.

8.3 A number of projects covering the sub-sectors of public works, transport andcommunications are outlined in Section IVto address key development objectives ofthe sector. In formulating projects andprogrammes under the Plan, six KeyResult Areas identified during the strategicplanning were taken into consideration toensure that the sector contributes its fairshare in meeting the Vision 2016aspirations. These Key Result Areas are:

• Safe, secure, accessible, reliableand environmentally friendly soundinfrastructure;

• Use of up-to-date technologies;• Financial management and

accountability;• Transparency in delivery of

service;• Delivery of products and services

within set time and budget; and• Well trained workforce.

8.4 Whilst the PMS exercise did not coverthe parastatals under the sector, they tooare expected to embrace the PMS strategyin carrying out their mandates. Hence,most of them are carrying out or havealready carried out some restructuring toenhance both operational and financialperformance.

8.5 Government does recognise thatHIV/AIDS presents a special challenge

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that could stifle development efforts. As aresult, the sector is in the process ofdeveloping a comprehensive HIV/AIDSstrategy to address the scourge, withparticular focus on the workforce in thetransport and public works sectors, toensure that spouses are not separated forextended periods of time and encourageunsafe sexual behaviour.

REVIEW OF WORKS, TRANSPORTAND COMMUNICATIONSDURING NDP 8

WORKS

8.6 The construction industry isundergoing considerable growth mainlystimulated by implementation of a largenumber of Government projects. However,the works sector has been constrained bylack of implementation capacity. Anumber of initiatives, which will continueto be pursued during NDP 9, have beenundertaken to improve the efficiency,quality and service delivery in the sector.These include:

• There has been a realisation that theactivities and functions of both DEMS andDABS are intertwined but these are toodifficult to co-ordinate under the currentstructural arrangement of their operating asseparate entities. In recognition of theirproviding common and complementaryactivities these departments are to bemerged to improve on their servicedelivery, co-ordination and projectimplementation in the execution ofGovernment building infrastructuredevelopment projects;• Review of contractual documents toconform to current best practices in theconstruction industry;• Other viable and alternativeprocurement methods would be exploredin an effort to find more efficient and

effective implementation strategies.Typical of one such approach would be thePublic-Private Sector Partnership (PPP)which has variants such as Build- Operate-Transfer (BOT), Build-Operate-LeaseTransfer (BOLT) etc which areincreasingly becoming attractiveworldwide; and• A comprehensive review of humanresources development strategy to ensurethat present and future staffing needs aremet as well as to identify areas of privatesector involvement in the delivery ofGovernment projects.

Architecture and Building Services andElectrical and Mechanical Services

8.7 The Department of Architecture andBuilding Services (DABS) and theDepartment of Mechanical and ElectricalServices (DEMS) are responsible for theimplementation of all Central Governmentbuilding projects, including themaintenance of these facilities throughregional depots located at all major centresin Botswana.

8.8 A significant increase in Government’sdevelopment programme has led toconsistent growth in the constructionindustry. These projects have contributedto the development of the private sector asthe Departments continue to utiliseconsultants and contractors for projectimplementation. Through the reservationpolicy for citizen contractors, andconsultants Government promotes andencourages citizen economicempowerment and entrepreneurialdevelopment.

8.9 The Departments have achievedsuccess in the implementation of somelarge-scale projects during NPD 8.However, there were a number ofproblems identified some of which are asfollows:

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¬ Too much front-loading of projects atthe beginning of the Plan period.

¬ Lack of well-defined client briefs(requirements).

¬ Slow provision of information byClient Ministries/ Departments.

¬ Unclear contracts which were open toa variety of interpretations.

¬ Inadequate vetting, supervision andmonitoring of consultants.

¬ Lack of formalised consultancycontract agreements with clearly speltout penalty clauses.

¬ Lack of skilled and trained manpowerto execute maintenance of buildinginfrastructure and equipment.

¬ Under-provision of maintenancerequirements as a result of poorlinkage of integrating the recurrentmaintenance expenditure to capitalexpenditure.

¬ Minimal application of computertechnology to work practices.

¬ Frequent abandonment of projects bycontractors.

8.10 In an effort to assist in resolvingsome of these problems, independentstudies for the two departments werecommissioned during NDP 8 namely:

¬ DEMS Operational EfficiencyImprovement Program Study, and

¬ DABS Organisation CapacityAssessment

The recommendations of the two studieshave been taken on board during therestructuring and merging of the twodepartments.

TRANSPORT

8.11 Surface transport in Botswanaplays a vital role, particularly as thecountry is land-locked. However,inadequate capacity in the economy hasbeen a serious constraint in thedevelopment and maintenance of thetransport infrastructure.

8.12 Vision 2016 has identified roadsafety as one of the priority areas in thequest to build a "safe and secure nation"and identifies effective enforcement oftraffic law, road safety education, bettertraining and licensing, elimination ofdrunken driving etc, as the priority areasfor policy intervention. While continuingwith the ongoing Road Safety programme,a National Road Safety Strategic Plan willbe formulated to deal with road safetyproblems in a holistic manner.

Road Transport

8.13 During NDP 8, the focus of theroad transport sector was on four mainstrategic issues: conveyance of goods andpassenger mobility, consumer protectionand security, road safety, and customerservice and satisfaction.

8.14 The vehicle population continuedto increase during the NDP 8 in line withthe socio-economic development of thecountry. The total vehicle populationincreased from 87,852 in 1997/98 to anestimated 206,386 in 2002/2003. Theprivate passenger vehicles constitute about38.5%; public passenger vehicles 4.1%,light commercial vehicles 41.3% andheavy commercial vehicles constitute5.7% of the total vehicle fleet. The lowpercentage of heavy goods vehicles revealsthe country’s inadequate capacity andfurther explains the influx of foreign

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registered trucks. This also means a lossof the potential for job creation by thedomestic road transport sector. The Chart8.1 shows vehicles by use in the nationalfleet.

Source: Ministry of Works and Transport

8.15 The public passenger transportsystem is largely based on regulatedcompetition. Through this policy, local and

long-distance passenger transport servicesimproved considerably in terms ofnumbers, quality and frequency during thePlan period. See tables 8.1 and 8.2.

Chart 8.1: Total % Of Vehicles By Use -Year 2003 (Estimates)

Light Commercial41.3

Public Service(Passenger)

4.1Heavy Commercial

5.7

Other Commercial7.6

Others2.8

Private (Passenger)38.5

Private (Passenger)

Others

Other Commercial

Heavy Commercial

Public Service (Passenger)

Light Commercial

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Tab

le8.

1:P

asse

nger

Tra

nspo

rtP

erm

its

(P-P

erm

its)

By

Yea

r19

97-2

001

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

Tot

alA

.T

axis

(exc

ludi

ngm

ini-

buse

san

dbu

ses)

1,19

51,

233

1,02

31,

758

1,88

22,

111

9,20

2

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

Tot

alB

.T

otal

(inc

ludi

ngta

xis,

min

i-bu

ses

and

buse

s)

2,75

22,

995

2,60

25,

213

5,80

96,

016

25,3

87

Sour

ce:M

inis

try

ofW

orks

and

Tra

nspo

rt

Tab

le8.

2:F

reig

htT

rans

port

Per

mit

s("

BA

-Per

mit

s")

By

Yea

r19

97-2

001

Yea

rL

DV

sup

to15

00kg

Tru

cks

1501

-50

00kg

Tru

cks

5001

-10

000k

g

Hea

vyD

uty

1000

0T

ract

ors

Tra

iler

sH

orse

san

dT

anke

rsO

ther

sT

otal

1996

2655

399

613

461

1,10

951

815

23,

549

1997

1653

190

892

4897

639

828

33,

252

1998

110

529

978

1,17

711

82,

331

499

208

3,95

019

9915

956

31,

078

1,21

633

03,

194

711

156

7,40

720

0012

661

21,

081

1,54

016

73,

106

546

173

7,35

120

0141

51,

059

1,55

81,

908

205

4,80

71,

153

828

11,9

33T

otal

--

--

--

--

33,8

93So

urce

:Min

istr

yof

Wor

ksan

dT

rans

port

143

Personalised Passenger Services

8.16 During NDP 8, personalisedpassenger transport such as call-cab, car-hire witnessed considerable growth inresponse to the growth in trade andtourism within Botswana and the SADCregion. At the end of NDP 8, registeredcall-cab and car-hire vehicles stood at 119and 453, respectively.

Cross-border Transport Agreements

8.17 Bilateral road transport agreementswere initiated and concluded with Zambiaand Zimbabwe towards the end of NDP 8,with a view to facilitating an unimpededflow of goods and passengers.

Computerisation

8.18 During NDP 8, computerisation ofdriver licensing and vehicle licensing hasconsiderably increased customer serviceand reduced forgery and fraud.

8.19 A comprehensive review andcomputerisation of the road transportpermits system, which was earmarked tobe executed as an integral part of theVehicle Registration and Licensing (VRL)System, is a project carried over fromNDP 8.

8.20 The low level of traffic disciplineon Botswana roads is of grave concern.Two major causes of accidents have beenidentified as over-speeding and drunkendriving. The high rate of pedestrianinvolvement in road accident fatalities(30%) is of even greater concern.

Review of the Road Traffic Act

8.21 Work on the review of the RoadTraffic Act was completed at the end ofNDP 8. Among other things, the reviewcovered issues relating to harmonisationconsistent with the SADC Protocol onTransport, Communication andMeteorology.

Vehicle Roadworthiness Testing

8.22 During NDP 8, two of the fiveplanned Vehicle Testing Stations (VTSs)were built and equipped at Lobatse andPalapye.

Improvements in Driver Training andTesting

8.23 Out of the nine (9) planned drivertraining and testing facilities only four (4)facilities were completed at Lobatse,Mahalapye, Serowe and Palapye duringNDP 8. The slow implementation was dueto the delay in land allocation, inadequatefunding, and lack of capacity within theservice departments.

Railways

8.24 Botswana Railways (BR) isresponsible for the provision of local andregional rail transport. Botswana Railwaysforms a crucial link in the regionalrailways system of the Southern Africanregion. Through links with Spoornet ofSouth Africa and the National Railways ofZimbabwe, BR provides a connection toNamibia, Swaziland, Zambia, theDemocratic Republic of Congo, Angola,Mozambique, Tanzania and Malawi.

8.25 NDP 8 was a challenging periodfor BR. The organisation successfullycompleted the rehabilitation of its 641-kmtrack from the border with South Africa to

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the border with Zimbabwe in March 2001.The result of this rehabilitated mainline isthat trains can now move faster withincreased safety en-route and provide asmooth ride.

8.26 In 1995/96, BR undertook a staffrationalisation exercise that resulted in areduction of departments from nine to fiveand the number of staff from 1,795 to1,263. This improved the organisation' sprofitability from a net loss of P3.05m in1995/96 to a net surplus of P0.5m in1996/97. A subsequent systems auditcarried out in 2001/2002 further reducedthe departments to four, and staff to 1,220.

8.27 Botswana Railways alsosuccessfully completed the signallingsystem between Rakhuna andRamatlabama, the hydrological study andrelocation of Gabcon (Gaborone dry port).

8.28 Notwithstanding theseachievements, BR experienced majorsetbacks in transit traffic when theBulawayo-Beitbridge route in Zimbabweopened to traffic in July 1999. Thisresulted in a decrease in the average transittraffic from 100,000 tonnes per month toless than 10,000 tonnes per month. Transittraffic was critical to BR’s revenuegeneration.

Road Infrastructure

8.29 NDP 8 provided a well developedand integrated road network to all townsand main District centres, as well asadequate connections to neighbouringcountries. The completion of a strategicring road around the country from whichfeeder roads will radiate to various ruralcommunities was a remarkableachievement.

8.30 The access roads policy, whichstipulates that all settlements and villageswithin 10 kilometres of major roads shouldbe provided with an access road to themain kgotla at a time when the major roadis either being upgraded or reconstructed,resulted in over 390 km of access roadsconstructed during NDP 8. The completedaccess roads were handed over to therespective Local Authorities formaintenance.

8.31 NDP 8 experienced the biggestroad construction programme hithertoundertaken by Government. By the end of2002, out of the 8,761 km of nationalroads for which the Department of Roadsis responsible, 6,872 km were bituminised.Of the bituminised roads, 1,952 km wasconstructed during NDP 8, which included18 river crossings (Table 8.3).

8.32 Project implementation duringNDP 8 was beset with severe capacityconstraints, both within the Department ofRoads and in the private sector. The NDP8 Mid-term review, like that of NDP 7,concluded that the road constructionprogramme was progressing at a pacebelow expectation.

8.33 Costs in the construction industryescalated since the commencement ofNDP 8, as tendering for constructionprojects became less competitive. FromP450,000/km at the beginning of NDP 8,the construction costs increased to betweenP850,000 – P1,300,000/km for a two-laneroad, while dual carriageways rangedbetween P2,500,000 and P 4,500,000/km.Thus, some projects had to be deferred toNDP 9 due to lack of funds.

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Table 8.3: Completed NDP 8 Projects

Projects Length (Km)Main AccessRoad Road

Molepolole-Lephepe 131.00 17.00Bobonong-Semolale 55.00 9.00Lephephe-Shoshong 89.00 12.00Serule-S/Phikwe 54.00 7.00Mahalapye-Palapye 71.00 17.00Serule-Tonota 65.00 13.00Sebina-Tutume 50.00 26.00Jwaneng-Sekoma 84.00 0.00F/Town-Centenary Bridge 1.00 0.00Kudumatse Drive Dualling 10.00 0.00Airport Cycle-Rasesa Section I 18.00 0.00Sefhophe-Zanzibar 73.00 3.00Mahalapye Dualling 5.00 0.00Francistown-Matsiloje 43.00 3.00Lobatse-Mmathethe 39.00 11.00Kasane-Ngoma 75.00 0.00Nata-Kazungula 45.00 0.00Mahalapye-Machaneng 71.00 2.00Mahalapye-Sherwood 49.00 0.00Palapye-Martin' s Drift 81.00 0.00Machaneng Access Roads 0.00 78.00Tswapong Access Roads A 0.00 90.00Dikabeya-Kgagodi 37.00 6.00Tswapong Access Roads B 0.00 45.00Boatle-Molepolole 55.00 16.00Metsimotlhabe-Lentsweletau 45.00 27.00Rakops-Kumaga 70.00 4.00Kumaga-Motopi 59.00 14.00Ghanzi-Sehitwa 187.00 0.00

1,562.00 390.00TOTAL 1,952

Source: Ministry of Works and Transport

8.34 Government undertook aninstitutional study of the roads sub-sectorduring NDP 8 to investigate the possibilityof entering into partnership with theprivate sector concerning investment inroad construction-related projects. Thestudy recommended the separation of theregulatory, management and execution

roles, whereby the public road agencieswill retain supervision and monitoringfunctions. The study further recommendedthat the Department be restructured tobecome a Road Authority with a board ofgovernors and establishment of a RoadFund. The study recommendations havebeen deferred pending further consultation.

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8.35 During NDP 8, the Ministry ofWorks and Transport commissioned aDomestic Road User Charging SystemStudy that aimed at developing a strategyfor cost recovery in the roads sector. As aresult, incremental increases of the roaduser charges are being implemented. Thestudy acknowledged that the current roaduser charges were not in line with the costof road maintenance.

Civil Aviation

8.36 With the modernisation of the airtraffic control system in 2001, and othernavigational facilities at SSKA, Maun,Kasane and Francistown airports, thecountry has provided internationalstandards for an efficient, secure andreliable air transport service. Scheduled airtransportation is provided by Air Botswanaand other competing designated airlinessuch as South African Express and AirNamibia. The domestic market is servicedsolely by Air Botswana, augmented bycharter services, particularly to areaswhere Air Botswana does not operate.There has been a steady growth in airtraffic. Passenger traffic increased from347,396 in 1996 to 462,029 in 2000 andthe aircraft movements from 52,544 to69,835 during the same period, reflectingan average annual growth of 6.6% and6.5% respectively. This growthnecessitates further development ofairports in the country.

8.37 Since the launch of NDP 8,Government has undertaken somederegulation initiatives with a view toreducing constraints on market forces. TheAir Transport Policy approved by Cabinetduring NDP 8, aims to further liberalisecivil aviation sector and improve marketaccess. Before NDP 8, nearly all airtransport was subject to regulation.

During NDP 8, decisions covering entry,exit, pricing and quality of service havebeen gradually turned over to carriers andmarket forces applied. In most cases,deregulation has created conditions moreconducive to industry performance, but insome instances, it has led to limitedservice availability in rural areas.

8.38 In line with the policy on costrecovery, the En-route Navigation ChargesRegulations were promulgated on 15 July,1999. The purpose is to levy a charge onall flights using Botswana airspace. Anagreement was made with the InternationalAir Transport Association (IATA) based inGeneva, Switzerland, to collect the amountfrom member airlines on behalf ofBotswana.

8.39 The air traffic control system wasmodernised in 2001 with the installation ofstate-of-the-art primary and secondarysurveillance radars at Sir Seretse KhamaAirport (SSKA) and a secondarysurveillance radar at Maun airport, therebyimproving flight safety. Additional VeryHigh Frequency (VHF) automated relaystations have been provided to extend theVHF coverage for air traffic control withinGaborone Flight Information Region(FIR), thus adding another safety factor forthe more than 80,000 international flightswhich traverse the Botswana airspaceannually.

8.40 Based on a study undertaken in1998/99 with the assistance of theInternational Civil Aviation Organisation(ICAO), Government has decided totransform the Department of CivilAviation into a parastatal to be called theCivil Aviation Authority. As part of thereform initiatives, a draft Air TransportPolicy was formulated and approved byCabinet in 1999. Another feasibility studyfor the establishment of a National CivilAviation Training Institute (NTI) was

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carried out in 1999. Recommendations ofthe study are being examined by theMinistry of Works and Transport in linewith the feasibility of establishing atraining institute for the entire transportsector. The Department of Civil Aviationalso undertook a feasibility study for theupgrading of five airports (Maun, Kasane,Selebi-Phikwe, Francistown and Shakawe)for the operation of a B737 or equivalentclass of aircraft in February 2002.

8.41 Other consultancies carried outinclude the detailed design of theextension of the SSKA terminal buildingto handle 570,000 passengers per annum,and a new cargo terminal building tohandle 4,000 tonnes per annum.

8.42 Additional projects undertakenduring NDP 8 included:

• detailed design of the Francistown andSelebi Phikwe airport improvements,and construction of light aircrafthangars and taxiways at Maun andKasane airports,

• environmental impact assessmentstudies at new sites for the relocationof Ghanzi airport and Serowe -Palapye airfields, and

• provision of bitumen surfaced runwaysand terminal sheds at Shakawe andGumare airfields.

Air Botswana

8.43 As part of the restructuringprogramme during NDP 8, Air Botswanare-defined its strategy from being a SADCairline to that of a regional feeder operatorwithin a market niche. The airline,therefore, concentrated on feeding trafficinto Johannesburg, Harare and Windhoekand discontinued most of the regionalroutes which were not profitable.

8.44 This change in strategy led theairline to concentrate on using cheaperregional Turbo-propeller aircraft thatcontributed significantly to the lowering ofits operating costs. This was key to theairline' s success during NDP 8. The airlineconcentrated on growing throughfrequencies and consolidating the fewviable routes from Gaborone,Johannesburg, Maun, Harare and VictoriaFalls.

8.45 Air Botswana' s privatisationproject commenced in April 2000 and wasplanned for completion during NDP 8. Thefirst phase, which focused on the review ofthe regulatory framework and strategicoptions, was completed in time by August2001. However, in light of the depressedinternational air transport marketfollowing the 11 September 2001 incidentsin the United States of America, theimplementation phase was suspended.The privatisation exercise was resuscitatedin September 2002 and is expected to beconcluded during 2003. The later part ofNDP 8 was dedicated to completingvarious structural reforms that created anenabling environment for the project.

Central Transport Organisation

8.46 The Central Transport Organisation(CTO) provides vehicles to Ministries andDepartments in order to ensure thatGovernment’s transport needs are meteffectively.

8.47 During the NDP 8 period,additional workshop facilities, includingthe Police Vehicle Workshop, independentpool workshop in Gaborone and light aidworkshop detachments at Lonetree andKang were established. In addition toimproving the workshop facilities, severalactivities such as repair and servicing of

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vehicles were hived-off to the privatesector.

8.48 In an attempt to rationalise andcontrol the expansion of the Governmentfleet, a Transport Establishment ReviewCommittee (TERC) which is a sub-committee to the Estimates Committeebecame operational in July 2000 tomonitor the utilisation of the existingallocated vehicles, consider and makerecommendations on requests foradditional fleet expansion by ministries

and departments. Since its coming intooperation, this committee has successfullymanaged to withdraw under-utilisedvehicles, reallocated under-utilisedvehicles to needy Ministries andDepartments, and curtailed fleet expansionrequests.

8.49 Currently, the CTO vehicle fleet is8 809, an increase of 609 (or 7%) since thebeginning of NDP 8 (see table 8.4).

Table 8.4 : Government Fleet Statistics 1993/94 - 2001/02Registered Boarded Fleet Size

Vehicles Plant Total Vehicles Plant Total Vehicles Plant Total1993/94 1,093 75 1,168 934 18 952 6,109 865 6,9741994/95 898 51 949 613 25 638 6,394 891 7,2851995/96 1,262 52 1,314 729 10 739 6,927 933 7,8601996/97 1,364 90 1,454 1,175 10 1,185 7,116 1,013 8,1291997/98 1,291 68 1,359 1,249 39 1,288 7,158 1,042 8,2001998/99 912 59 971 1,259 166 1,425 6,811 935 7,7461999/00 1,127 41 1,168 770 54 824 7,168 922 8,0902000/01 931 70 1,001 688 52 740 7,411 940 8,3512001/02 1,618 51 1,669 1,174 37 1,211 7,855 954 8,809

Source: Ministry of Works and Transport

8.50 The CTO charging system, whichstarted in 1998 followingrecommendations of the Restructuring andCommercialisation exercise, is achievingits objective to some extent as the majorityof user Ministries and Departments havebecome more vigilant in controlling theirtransport operations and expenditure.

8.51 Although the Department engagedthe services of the private sector, theirperformance has been far from beingsatisfactory. Numerous problems havebeen experienced such as over-invoicing,poor quality of service, delays in carryingout repairs, etc.COMMUNICATIONS

Liberalised Telecommunications Policy

8.52 In pursuance of liberal economicpolicies and in line with internationaltrends in the telecommunications industry,Government adopted theTelecommunications Policy in December1995. The main objectives of the policyare to achieve universal service, promoteprivate sector participation in thedevelopment of the industry, and liberalisethe industry. There have been tremendouschanges in the telecommunicationsindustry since the adoption of the Policy.These changes include an increase inteledensity, availability of modernInformation and CommunicationTechnologies (ICTs) and services. Further,penetration of ICTs, especially in ruralareas, is essential to accelerate the pace ofdevelopment to achieve rapid integrationof the country with the global economy.

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8.53 Telecommunications services playa vital role in sustained economic andsocial development. TheTelecommunications Act, No. 15 of 1996,which established the BotswanaTelecommunications Authority (BTA),will, among other things, monitor andpromote the provision of efficienttelecommunications services. The Actabolished the BTC’s monopoly overnetwork operations, issuing of licences andtransferred telecommunications regulatoryfunctions to BTA. As part of theliberalisation strategy two mobiletelephone licences were issued in 1998followed by licensing of internet serviceproviders and various value addedservices.

Frequency Spectrum Management

8.54 BTA is currently considering theacquisition of an automated frequencymanagement system and the review of theradio spectrum licence fees. The purpose isto ensure the continued availability of theradio spectrum. The radio spectrum is anatural finite resource equally available inevery country. Its effective management isthe key to providing an environment inwhich radio can contribute to nationalcompetitiveness, as well as to cultural,scientific and social life. In October 2000,BTA commissioned a project to develop aNational Radio Frequency Plan as requiredby the Act. The project is expected to becompleted by 2004.

8.55 The Botswana TelecommunicationCorporation (BTC) played a crucial role inthe liberalisation of thetelecommunications industry in thecountry. Through the BTC network,cellular and other licensed operators havebeen able to roll out their networks andservices quickly.

8.56 NDP 8 was a challenging periodfor BTC. The Corporation initiallyachieved all time high profits of P74million in 1998/1999. However, it laterexperienced decline in profitability andoverall operational performance. Thedecline in profitability emanated from theCustomer Care and Billing System(CCBS) crisis which culminated inaccumulated bills, resulting in provisionfor doubtful debts. The core nationalnetwork comprising telephone exchangesand transmission systems, which wasunderstood to be world class standard, hasnot been upgraded in recent years and isperforming sub-optimally.

Fixed Network Services

8.57 BTC' s customer base increasedfrom 80,000 in 1998 to 138,000 inDecember 2001, representing teledensityincrease from 5.5% to 9%. TheCorporation introduced new services suchas voice-mail, paging, toll-free calling,global pre-paid calling, various value-added services and the ‘wireless fastconnect’ technology.

Numbering Plan

8.58 BTC, in collaboration with BTA,successfully rolled out the implementationof the Number Change from six digits toseven digits in 2002.

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Rural Telecommunication Programme

8.59 During NDP 8, BTC managed tocomplete Government funded projects inthe Barolong, Bobirwa and Tswapong sub-Districts, covering a total of 52 villages ata cost of P83 million. Another ruraltelecommunication project for North East,Barolong/Ngwaketse and KwenengDistricts, covering 147 villages at a cost ofP125 million, commenced in 2002.

Postal Services

8.60 BotswanaPost implementedvarious projects under NDP 8, at the timethe organisation was going commercial.These activities included putting in placenew legal structures, establishment of amanagement structure and installation ofproduction management systems. Thisresulted in an increase in mail deliveryperformance from 86% in 2000-2001 to93% during the financial 2001-2002against a target of 95%. Other projects thatwere undertaken were the establishment ofmail sorting centres at Gaborone, Palapyeand Francistown, construction of staffhouses in Tsabong, expansion of MaunPost Office and the establishment of a postoffice at the Riverwalk shopping mall inGaborone. Twenty thousand postal boxeswere installed at various post offices. NDP8 also witnessed the automation of somepost office counters, and expansion of twosorting centres at Palapye andFrancistown.

8.61 BotswanaPost is committed to theprovision of a universal postal service toall at an affordable price. The criticalproblem is the stiff competition currentlyexperienced as a result of the private sectorentering the postal market.

Meteorological Services

8.62 During the Mid-Term Review ofNDP 8, it was observed that the currentweather systems manifest themselves incomplex patterns, resulting in severedroughts and floods.

8.63 For the Department ofMeteorological Services to providesufficient meteorological data andinformation necessary for the socio-economic development of a country thesize of Botswana, a minimum of 25synoptic and 1000 rainfall stations arerequired. To-date, there are only 14synoptic stations and 400 rainfall stations.Government has decided to invest in anexpanded network of synoptic stations andother specialised stations to collectsufficient data, fill the existing gaps andimprove on the prediction of weatherconditions, climate patterns and theirseverity.

8.64 Synoptic stations at Pandamatenga,Selebi-Phikwe, Werda and Goodhope aswell as Meteorological Headquarters andBokaa weather radar buildings have beencompleted.

WORKS, TRANSPORT ANDCOMMUNICATIONS POLICYFOR NDP 9

WORKS

Architectural and Building Services andMechanical and Electrical Services

8.65 It is imperative that the problemsidentified during NDP 8, in respect ofthese organisations, do not spill over intoNDP 9. In responding to this concern, theDepartments have begun to change theapproach and methodology and their own

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roles in the process of delivering finalbuilding projects to clientMinistries/Departments. This is with aview to attaining the elusive projectsuccess as measured by clients ascompletion within cost, within time and toan acceptable quality level.

8.66 Dedicated teams to carry outprojects for individual Ministries will beset up to ensure better service delivery andaccountability for project implementation.

8.67 A project implementationdocument has been devised to assist indetermining client requirements, whichcould be formulated into a design brief.This would ensure that tender documentsare complete before going out to tender.

8.68 In an effort to bring thedepartments closer to client Ministries,Ministerial Projects Implementation Unitsare to be established within Ministries,which would be under the direction of theDepartment. Initially, these units would bewithin Ministries with large portfolio ofprojects and it is hoped that by the end ofNDP 9 all ministries would haveMinisterial Projects Implementing Units.Specific functions of these units wouldinclude assisting to determine the clientrequirement, acting as liaison between theMinistries and the Department in theimplementation of projects up to an initialvalue of P2 million, and managing and co-ordinating maintenance programs.

8.69 In order to augment the existingstaff compliment, which has been a sourceof concern for some time, the Departmenthas acquired additional staff through theresuscitation of the Project ImplementationUnit (PIU), which had been establishedduring the early part of NDP 8. However,unlike the old PIU, which was anindependent and stand alone unit, the newstaff would be integrated into the

Department structures to augment theirimplementation capacity.

8.70 To address the issue ofaccountability on the part of consultants, anew agreement with penalty clauses fornon-delivery and professional negligencewould be entered into by consultant andthe departments. It is also hoped that thecoming into being of the new procurementact would address problems, which areencountered in the Department’sconstruction contracts.

8.71 The engineer’s registration act,which has been approved by Parliament,calls for the establishment of anEngineer’s Registration Board to regulatethe conduct of the professional engineers.Similar boards should be establishedduring NDP 9 for the architectural andquantity surveying professionals. Thecoming into being of these boards willensure that consultants provide suitablyqualified, competent and experiencedprofessionals.

8.72 During NDP 8, a start was made todevolve some minor maintenance tofacility level and it is now intended thatroutine and possibly call maintenanceshould be out-sourced wherever possible.To further overcome problems of underprovision for maintenance, fullmaintenance budgeting would, on anannual basis, be done by the Ministriesthemselves. It is, therefore, conceivablethat during NDP 9, responsibilities forundertaking property and facilitiesmanagement in their entirety could bedevolved to Ministries, albeit in a gradualand phased manner.

8.73 During NDP 9, there will be thenecessary information technology supportfor the work undertaken by thedepartments in keeping with the currentbest practices. This is in recognition of

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routine design and maintenance task nowemploying information technology as astandard practice, more so that the currenttraining of professional personnel assumesthe availability and application of suchtechnology.

TRANSPORT

Road Transport

8.74 The focus during NDP 9 willcontinue to be based on the four mainstrategic issues: conveyance of goods andpassenger mobility, consumer protectionand security, road safety and customerservice satisfaction.

8.75 Competition will continue to beprecluded on routes or networks thatrequire subsidy for welfare reasons,mainly in the remote rural areas.Similarly, permission for minibuses to plylong-distance routes will be discouraged,whilst buses with 25 seats and above willbe encouraged via the permit system.Further improvements in the personalisedpassenger transport will be made throughthe introduction of metered taxi servicesand increase in the number of call-caboperations where demand exists.

Road Transport Infrastructure

8.76 Road transport authorities willactively participate with local and otherauthorities in broader policy decisions andplans, which affect the effective provisionof road transport services. Land use androad planning will take into accountrequirements regarding public passengertransport, pedestrians and bicycles alongroads and the need for rest places alongprimary roads. In addition, the roadauthorities will initiate and institutionaliseperiodic quality audits of the road networkunder their control to reduce accidents.

Institutional Capacity Building

8.77 Two major tasks envisaged to beundertaken during NDP 9 are thedevelopment of a National IntegratedTransport Policy and an institutionalcapacity review to evaluate the operationsand structure of the Department of RoadTransport and Safety.

Road Safety

8.78 A National Road Safety StrategicPlan to address road safety problems in aholistic manner will be formulated inconsultation with other stakeholders.

8.79 During NDP 9, priority will begiven to traffic management and roadsafety in the quest to build a “safe andsecure nation” in line with the principles ofVision 2016. This will be done throughbetter traffic law enforcement, road safetyeducation, better training and licensing,reduction in drunken driving etc., as thepriority areas for policy intervention. Inorder to effectively reduce the drinking-driving problem, consideration will begiven to imposing more rigorous alcoholtests through enactment of appropriatelegislation.

8.80 A related project to driver testingfacilities is the establishment andequipping of a Driver Training Academyto cater for the training needs of drivinginstructors and examiners. Considerationwill be given to addressing the deficiencyin driving skills in the heavy duty licenceclasses to reduce over-reliance on foreigndrivers. The recommendations of the RoadTraffic Act Review undertaken during theNDP 8 will be enacted in NDP 9.

8.81 The VTS stations at Maun, SelebiPhikwe and Kang together with ones at

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Mogoditshane, Kanye, Mahalapye andMochudi will be built and equipped duringNDP 9. Successful completion of theplanned network of VTSs will facilitateintroduction of six-monthly testing ofpublic service vehicles (passenger andgoods) and mandatory testing of allvehicles over the age of three years, as aprecondition for renewal of road licences.Furthermore, it is proposed to increase thenumber of vehicle examiners with a viewto increasing the capacity for roadsidetesting of vehicles for criticalroadworthiness requirements. Avenueswill be explored regarding private sectorinvolvement in the development ofnetwork of VTSs as well as the operationsusing Build Operate Transfer (BOT) andBuild Own Operate Transfer (BOOT)strategies.

Railways

8.82 Close coordination with othermodes of transport, especially the road,regional rail organisations and transportoperators, and making sound investmentdecisions, are essential to promotesustainable development objectives in thetransport sector. BR faces the challenge ofoperating high quality conventional railsystems, extending services to regions nowun-served by passengers or freight trainsand adding additional daily trains toestablished long-distance routes. Therailways also aims at generating enoughpositive operating cash flows to helpsupport its continuing investmentrequirements, increasing profitability tocompete with road transport, andeliminating dependence on Governmentsubsidies, while maintaining andincreasing its ability to serve the nation’stransport needs.

8.83 Due to the imbalances inherent inthe transport sector, the level of autonomy

delegated to BR management in takingcommercial decisions withoutGovernment’s approval shall continue tobe reviewed during NDP 9. In order tocreate and maintain an enablingenvironment in the sub-sector,consideration will be given to theestablishment of an autonomous TransportRegulator.

8.84 In view of the unfavourablefinancial position of BR, Government willreview the gearing ratio of 0.6:1 with aview to reducing the financing cost of theorganisation.

Road Development

8.85 As the process of road constructionup to the tender award stage is verylengthy and often results in delays in theimplementation of road projects,improvements in this regard will becontinued during NDP 9.

8.86 The policy on access roads will bereviewed taking into consideration socio-economic factors such as the population inthe settlement served, the daily trafficlevels and internal rate of return.

Road Maintenance

8.87 The 1997 Road Maintenance studyestablished delineation of responsibilitiesbetween the Department of Roads andDistrict Councils, with Primary andSecondary roads being the responsibilityof the Department, while Tertiary andAccess roads are the responsibility ofCouncils. The Department of Roads willcontinue to implement therecommendations of the study.

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Privatisation

8.88 The private sector is currentlyimplementing 100% of the CentralGovernment road development andperiodic maintenance and 55% of routinemaintenance projects. In accordance withthe 2000 Privatisation Policy of Botswana,ways of involving the private sector inroutine maintenance projects will befurther explored.

8.89 Government will, during NDP 9,pursue the recommendations of theinstitutional study carried out during NDP8, including consideration for theexpansion of the revenue sources of theroad fund in the context of institutionalrestructuring.

Labour Based Methods

8.90 Labour-based methods of roadconstruction and maintenance arepotentially effective tools for creating

employment. Capacity building for theimplementation of labour basedprogrammes, which started during NDP 8,will be continued and strengthened in NDP9. This will include training anddevelopment of client institutions andcitizen contractors to enable properimplementation of the technology.

Cost Recovery and Road UserCharges

8.91 The current level of cost recoveryin the road sector is very low as can beseen from Table 8.5 below. During NDP 9,cost recovery will continue to constitute anintegral part of Government’s strategy toensure that funds will be available formaintenance of the national roadinfrastructure. In this regard, the conceptof roads tolls, being one of the measures ofcost recovery, will be vigorously pursuedin collaboration with the private sector.

Table 8.5: Cost Recovery in the Road Sector – 1998/99 – 2002/2003 (P000)Revenue Type 1998/99 1999/2000 2000/2001 2001/2002 2002/03EstTransport Permits 9, 500 15, 560 18, 000 25 ,000 27 ,500Vehicle Licenses 10, 637 12 ,376 13 ,100 19, 200 21, 120Driving Licenses 900 1, 000 1 ,000 1 ,800 1, 980Vehicle Inspection 400 640 600 1 ,000 1 ,100Driving Test 1, 400 1 ,700 1 ,900 3, 000 3 ,300Total 22, 837 31, 216 34, 600 50 ,000 55, 000Source: Ministry of Works and Transport

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8.92 Although a harmonised SADCroad-user charging system for vehiclestravelling outside their home territory is inplace, consultation with Member Statesregarding implementation will becontinued during NDP 9 to promote thesmooth flow of persons and goods withinthe SADC region.

Civil Aviation

8.93 The policy thrust for civil aviationis to build capacity both in terms ofinfrastructure and institutionaldevelopment to ensure safe, cost effectiveand efficient air travel in line with Vision2016. Government will continue to marketthe infrastructure to stimulate increasedutilisation so as to generate additionalrevenue with appropriate cost recoverymeasures. To this end, the Department ofCivil Aviation will be transformed into anautonomous parastatal to be called theCivil Aviation Authority.

8.94 In line with the SADC Protocol onTransport, Communication andMeteorology, the Yamoussoukro Decisionand other air transport agreements,Government will accelerate expansion ofthe air transport network through a varietyof measures, including marketliberalisation. This will provide adequatecapacity and market access to facilitateeasy movement of international anddomestic traffic to and from Botswana.

8.95 Bilateral Air Service Agreementswill take into account the potential benefitsto other sectors of the economy such astourism, trade, commerce and investmentto meet the larger national interests.

8.96 Aviation Security is facing newand serious challenges due to the events of11th September 2001 in USA, whenhijacked aircraft were used as weapons of

destruction. The event has compelledGovernment to focus on future challengesof aviation security by modernising andupgrading facilities and establishing a newAviation Security Cadre to enhanceresponsiveness.

Air Botswana

8.97 During NDP 9, the airline’s routenetwork will continue to be influenced bythe need to further develop tourism and toimprove communication between themajor business centres in Southern Africa.The introduction of services betweenGaborone and Cape Town will beevaluated as the traffic between thesecities continues to show potential forgrowth. The domestic network will also becautiously expanded in order to maintainthe viability of the airline.

Privatisation

8.98 Privatisation was approved as acondition of the airline' s restructuring in1994. The airline fulfilled the pre-conditions for the privatisation project tocommence, when it attained its first profitsin 1997. Privatisation is expected to bringabout network expansion through the linkto a strategic partner with a wider marketout-reach as well as appropriatetechnology. A privatised airline will alsorelieve Government of the burden offunding the airline' s future capitalrequirements as these will be shared withthe strategic partner and the othershareholders of the privatised airline.

8.99 Opportunities for the privatisationof some of the operations of the Ministryof Communications Science andTechnology will be explored.Commercialisation and outsourcing will beinvestigated for the operations of theDepartments of Information and

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Broadcasting, Government ComputerBureau and Printing and PublishingServices. Botswana TelecommunicationsCorporation will also be privatised as soonas it returns to stable profitableperformance.

Central Transport Organisation

8.100 The Central Transport Organisation(CTO) policy objectives during NDP 9will, by and large, be the same as thosecontained in NDP 8, i.e. cautious use ofthe private sector in the provision ofmaintenance and transport services toGovernment Ministries and Departments.The strategic objective is to continuebuilding workshop facilities with the aimof leasing them out to the private sector inthe long run. Programmes will bedeveloped with the assistance ofconsultants, to empower citizen employeesto take over these workshops in the longterm, especially at those places where theprivate sector is not yet developed.

8.101 The provision of Governmenttransport services remains fraught withwastage, in spite of the introduction of thecharging system by CTO. During NDP 9,it is intended to decentralise from CTO,the direct financial responsibilities fortransport services, wherever possible, touser Ministries and Departments. CTOwould only act as facilitators and advisersespecially in the case of fleet expansion,accident repairs, hiring of private sectortransport, etc.

COMMUNICATIONS

Information and CommunicationTechnologies (ICT) Policy and Plan

8.102 During NDP 9, a number ofinvestigations will be conducted to identifyICT needs and gaps. The input from such

studies will then help to formulate newICT Policy as well as a NationalInformation and CommunicationsTechnology (NICT) Plan which will beimplemented during NDP 9. Keyconsiderations in the NICT policy and planwill be the following:

(i). Modernisation of the nationalinformation and communicationsinfrastructure to create a state-of-the-art multi-service informationand communications network withadvanced internet protocols anddata communications capabilities atits core, based on emerginginternational standards andtechnologies.

(ii). Provision of adequate and cost-effective internet access foreducational institutions and out-of-school youth through LearningResource Centres.

(iii). Enhancing legislation to ensuredata protection and privacy andsafeguard intellectual propertyrights, patents and copyrights forICT. A legal framework to increaseconfidence in the safety andlegitimacy of electronic commercewill also be developed.

(iv). Provision of e-governance,transparency and data-sharing: toensure the use of ICT inGovernment to deliver quickerservices to the public at convenientlocations and times. This willrequire the consolidation and re-packaging of information in anappropriate format for public useand service delivery.

(v). Setting up of CommunityInformation Centres – aimed atproviding ICT services to all

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Batswana, both in rural and urbanareas through the development ofCommunity Information Centres.These will be internet access pointsin strategic locations around thecountry where the general publiccan access government services.This is in line with Vision 2016,which states “by the year 2016, thepeople of Botswana will be able touse and apply the potential ofcomputer equipment in manyaspects of everyday life”13.

(vi). Creating an enabling environmentfor the growth of the ICT industry.

(vii). Enhancing universal services andaccess, which guarantee affordable,equitable and effective informationand communications services,including the Internet.

(viii). Transforming BTC into a dynamicand profitable organisation forpossible privatisation during NDP9.

(ix). A comprehensive review ofregulated services, tariffrebalancing and price structures.

(x). Review of Government’s fundingarrangements for ruraltelecommunications to includeoperating losses for rural areaswhere revenue realised by BTC islower than operating andmaintenance costs. A similarreview will be undertaken for loss-making post offices.

(xi). Review of the long-term role of theBotswana Daily News.

13 Long Term Vision for Botswana (Vision 2016)p.6

(xii). Further expansion of radio and TVcoverage to rural Botswana.

(xiii). Enactment of several laws toimprove ICT such as the Massmedia law.

8.103 This policy will play an importantrole in economic and social developmentas a result of the convergence ofbroadcasting and telecommunicationsservices, and the development of Internetapplications.

Challenges of Bridging the DigitalDivide

8.104 Teledensity has increasedsubstantially and modern Information andCommunication Technologies (ICTs) havebecome increasingly available inBotswana. However, the benefits derivedfrom the liberalisation of the provision ofinformation and telecommunicationsservices have not been shared equallybetween urban and rural areas and betweenthe rich and poor, thus resulting in the so-called digital divide. The sector will,therefore, be faced with the challenge ofbridging this divide during NDP 9 in termsof developing strategies that will ensurethat the information gap is narrowed.

Universal Service and Access

8.105 The BotswanaTelecommunications Authority hascommissioned a study to assist with thedevelopment of a Universal Service andAccess Strategy. The aim is to achieve theavailability and delivery of affordable,equitable, good quality, and efficientinformation and communications servicesto everyone, including good quality accessto the Internet. This will in turn strengtheneconomic development through greater

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participation of the business community,including Small Micro and MediumEnterprises (SMMEs) within a fair andcompetitive environment.

8.106 The Botswana TelecommunicationCorporation, with assistance from externalconsultants, has drawn up acomprehensive plan to turn around itsentire operations. The plan is based onBTC' s vision, which aims at establishingan effective basic telecommunicationsinfrastructure and position itself as a centreof excellence in communications, a keyrequirement for economic growth.

8.107 Modern business requires thehighest levels of telecommunications.Examples of this are the needs of financialservices companies and the growingrequirement for electronic business(eBusiness) capabilities. Botswana needstelecommunications infrastructure at parwith those of developed countries. Thiswill require increased capital investmentduring the Plan period to ensure “catchup”.

8.108 The adopted strategy for BTC is torectify current problems quickly, start atransformation of its entire operations andposition itself to be an effective force inthe new eBusiness world. The approach isbased on transforming BTC into aneffective customer-focused organisation.This will involve radical transformationand restructuring of the Corporation tobecome a lean, process-based organisation,with improved commercial focus, bettercustomer service and key systemsoperations. There will be special focus onbusiness customers.

8.109 BTC will undertake acomprehensive review of all BTCregulated services, tariff re-balancing,price structures, including per secondbilling to expand its revenue base.

8.110 With respect to the ruraltelecommunication programme,Government finances the capitalexpenditure but does not finance theannual operating losses or revenue deficitsresulting from these investments. Theexisting national policy that articulates aright to universal telephone service ataffordable prices cannot be challenged asthis is in line with best practice world-wide. For BTC to continue to providetelephone services in rural loss-makingmarkets, Government will considerproviding funds to cover both the capitaland the operating deficits arising fromsuch projects.

8.111 Botswana is a relatively smallcountry. It currently has two majorregulators in the information andcommunications sector. These areBotswana Telecommunications Authority(BTA) and the National BroadcastingBoard (NBB). The BTA acts as the NBB’ssecretariat. During NDP 9, arationalisation exercise will be undertakenwith a view to bringing all information andcommunications regulatory andcompetition matters under one body in linewith Government’s objective of reducingthe size of the public sector. Governmentwill also facilitate the freeing of airwavesby liberalizing the licensing of informationand broadcasting services as one of thestrategies for economic diversification inthe media sector.

Postal Services

8.112 BotswanaPost will continue tomanage the activities of post officeseffectively for the benefit of customers,shareholders and employees. Theprovision of the service to the rural areaswill continue to be a challenge for theorganisation during NDP 9. However, in

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view of the loss-making of the 72 of the112 post offices countrywide, Governmentwill consider meeting the operational costsof the rural loss making post offices.

Meteorological Services

8.113 In view of the policy on costrecovery and the quest to provide qualitydata, Government Departments and theprivate sector will be expected to pay forthe services provided by the Departmentduring NDP 9. Although users other thanGovernment paid for data in the early1970s, this was suspended in the 1980s inview of the fact that there was noestablished policy to deal with costrecovery issues.

8.114 Most National MeteorologicalServices of Members (countries) of theWorld Meteorological Organisation(WMO) are going through a restructuringprocess in order to introduce alternateservice delivery as well as set up partiallyor fully commercial agencies orauthorities. A consultancy will be carriedout to study these issues in line with thePrivatisation Policy. Due attention will begiven to the provision of service as a“public good” which will be paid for bythe Government.

8.115 A Legal instrument will be put inplace to establish the Department and set-up its operations in line with therestructuring process and the policy oncost recovery.

HIV/AIDS

8.116 The focus of the Ministry will beon the inclusion of HIV/AIDSprogrammes in all tenders, co-operatingwith private sector and transportassociations in the establishment oftransport and construction specific social

safety net programmes, providing morephone lines for the HIV/AIDS Toll Freeprogramme as well as using transportoperators and associations to deliverHIV/AIDS messages. During NDP 9,measures include the establishment of thenecessary HIV/AIDS institutionalstructures and mechanisms to guide andsustain the response, development of amainstreamed HIV/AIDS operational planand a sector policy, utilising strategiclinkages with other sectors in establishingrelevant prevention, care and supportprogrammes and undertaking research intothe impact of HIV/AIDS on the Ministryand the sector.