Botswana: Bobonong Sports Facility Dispute Ends

Bobonong — Parties involved in the construction of the Bobonong Sports Facility have agreed to conduct a final account assessment, which will pave the way for a new contract with the current contractor, BWX Link Holdings.

The contractor has been in a legal dispute with the implementing authority, the Bobirwa District Council.

This newly agreed process is ultimately expected to lead to the successful completion of the facility, whose construction began in November 2019.

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Once finished, the sports facility will be handed over to the client ministry, which will then open it to end-users.

"The matter was at arbitration but had not been heard yet. We managed to engage with the contractor, and we agreed to come to the table for further discussions," said Bobirwa District Council, Deputy Council Secretary, Mr Onthatile Molelu.

He was responding to a question from Councilor Letsogile Koketso who sought an update on the completion timeline for maintenance works at the facility.

Phase two of the construction has been stalled for several years following the successful completion of phase one by Heidi Dea Holdings in 2020.

Phase one cost P5 million and comprised the construction of changing rooms, kiosks, ablution blocks, and a boundary wall.

Phase two, awarded to BWX Link Holdings, included volleyball and netball courts, an artificial turf football pitch, scaffolding stands with a 200-seat capacity around the pitch, and a compacted soil athletics track.

Reports indicate that the dispute between BWX Link Holdings and council stemmed from specifications surrounding the artificial turf.

Apparently, the contractor ordered turf that did not meet the expectations of the council, which up to that point had not firmly locked in the contract specifications, resulting in a deadlock between the two parties.

The impasse halted all construction works at the facility. Consequently, completed infrastructure--such as the boundary wall, changing rooms, and kiosks--remained unused.

This abandonment has reportedly attracted thieves, who have vandalised the buildings for copper cables and other valuable materials.

However, Mr Molelu revealed that the council, through the Ministry of Sport and Arts, has secured P400,000 for maintenance works at the facility.

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Following these repairs, the client ministry is expected to move in and occupy some of the offices under a partial handover agreement.

"Our entire intention is to complete the works at the facility so that it can be put to good use by its intended users," Mr Molelu said, adding that they are currently in the procurement stage for maintenance materials.

He stated that the maintenance works would be done in-house and would last a maximum of five weeks.

Once completed, the client ministry will move into the usable areas, while the section of the facility under dispute will be boarded off.

However, Molalatau Councilor, Mr Moribame Moribame expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation regarding the project's stagnation.

Mr Moribame called for those responsible for failing to lock the contract with solid specifications to be held accountable for the financial losses.