According to Botswana Police Head of Planning and Development, Assistant Commissioner Pilane Sebigi, as at the end of August this year the Mahalapye police station project which commenced construction in February 2009 and is expected to be finished in January 2011 was 81% complete.
Mr Sebigi said that the over 140 million Pula Mahalapye police project comprises of 64 residential houses for officers to be stationed there and an office block that has a provision for a police district and station offices.
He stated that the Palapye Police project which comprises of 70 residential houses, an office block with provisions for Divisional, District and Station offices, was almost 58% complete at end of August this year. The project was started last year in May and is expected to be complete in May 2011.
One of the challenges that the Head of Planning Development said they face is that of rain which he says at times jeopardize construction and even damage the not-yet-finished buildings. He however said that the contractors are working hard to minimize the risks that come with the rainy season.
Assistant Commissioner Sebigi revealed that the Botswana Police Service is currently in the process of buying 20 residential houses from the Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) in Francistown. He said the houses are being acquired to ease the problem of shortage of accommodation in the city.
He further revealed that other projects such as the construction of Mathubudukwane and Letlhakane police stations were shelved due to shortage of funds. He however expressed hope that those projects and others which include a state of the art Forensic Laboratory that is currently at the design stage will see the light of the day in the near future.