A3 Road Project On Track

The reconstruction of the Francistown-Nata (A3) Road is progressing well and is currently 45 per cent complete, despite recent weather-related challenges. In an interview, Okavango Africa Consortium development manager, Mr Moemedi Gabana, noted that while recent rainfall caused minor setbacks, work remained on schedule across all sections. Mr Gabana said to expedite the project, the 200-kilometre road had been divided into strategic sections and separate construction teams were working simultaneously, with some moving from Francistown toward Nata and others advancing from the opposite direction.

He added that the huge infrastructure project had also provided economic boost to local communities, employing over 1 000 residents from villages along the route. Also, he explained that the new road would feature a dual carriageway starting from Francistown Toyota to just past Mathangwane. He indicated that towards the Sebina junction, the road would transition back to a single carriageway, though it would be significantly widened to safely accommodate the high volume of heavy trucks using the corridor.

He further said the Francistown team had begun laying asphalt just past the Orapa junction towards Mathangwane and officials expected a substantial stretch to be paved by late June or early July, which would allow traffic to be diverted onto the new road. Meanwhile, he said construction of an additional section of the Shashe Bridge at Mathangwane, necessary to accommodate the dual carriageway, was at an advanced stage, with nearly all new pillars complete and steel manufacturing for the bridge deck underway. Unlike the Tati River and Shashe bridges, he said the Nata River bridge would not be expanded but would instead undergo refurbishment, as a proposal to dualise the Nata bridge was declined by government due to budget constraints.

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Addressing right-of-way challenges, Mr Gabana confirmed that approximately 90 per cent of property owners affected by the project, particularly in Francistown, had been fully compensated and relocated. He said the process required intervention from the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs to re-value certain properties after owners disputed initial private valuations, adding issues were ultimately resolved amicably and the consortium allowed displaced owners to salvage building materials from their old structures. Furthermore, he said the consortium was also taking steps to mitigate the project’s impact on local livelihoods and properties, while discussions were underway with the city council to demolish and reconstruct the council market near the airport area. He indicated that to avoid permanently displacing vendors, the new structures would be rebuilt further back, closer to the old airport fence.

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