The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure has turn down the motion by the North West District Council (NWDC) requesting for the inclusion of access roads to Khwai and Mababe villages in the planned Shorobe–Kachikau road project under NDP12.
The motion was tabled by Sankoyo/Khwai/Mababe councillor, Tshabang Paul, who urged the ministry to consider constructing the access roads alongside the main project, even if it requires placing the existing Access Road Policy in abeyance. At its sitting of the 23rd- 31st March 2026, North West District Council adopted the motion.
However, when responding to the request, Acting Permanent Secretary, Pius Seone explained that the Access Road Policy guides on the type/standard of access road to be provided to the main Kgotla of villages within 10 km of any primary or secondary road being constructed to bitumen standard or reconstructed.
He noted that the request to include Mababe access in the construction of the Shorobe Kachikau road is feasible as it is within the purview of the Access Road Policy. However, the acting permanent secretary indicated that Khwai village is more than 30km away from Shorobe to Kachikau road.
“Khwai access road will therefore require a stand-alone project and will have to be subjected to prioritisation,” he responded.
Seone concluded that in view of the current budgetary constraints, the consideration can be made during the next national development planning period.
Presenting the motion, Paul argued that Khwai village, located about 30km west of Mababe and 110km from Shorobe, serves as a key eastern gateway into the Moremi Game Reserve. She highlighted that the village hosts essential services such as a primary school, a health post, and several tourism establishments including lodges and campsites.
“However, the current earth road linking Khwai and Mababe remains in poor condition due to clayey soils, which become muddy and flood-prone during the rainy season. This often leaves the villages inaccessible for days or even weeks, disrupting the movement of goods, limiting access to critical services, and halting tourism activities.”
Paul emphasised that upgrading the road to a tarred, all-weather standard would significantly improve connectivity, allowing easier access for both locals and tourists. She noted that such development would enhance travel between Chobe National Park, Maun, and the Moremi Game Reserve, thereby strengthening the region’s tourism network.
She further argued that poor road conditions currently increase transport costs and lead to damage of goods, affecting both residents and tourism operators. In emergency situations, transporting patients to Letsholathebe General Hospital is often risky, as rough road conditions can worsen patients’ conditions.
According to Paul, improved road infrastructure would unlock economic opportunities by attracting private investment into Khwai and Mababe villages that have long been overlooked due to inaccessibility. She added that the communities, which include some of the district’s most disadvantaged populations, stand to benefit significantly from improved infrastructure and connectivity.
The councillor also warned that strict adherence to the current Access Road Policy which prioritises developments within 10km of main roads could exclude the two villages from the project. She described the Shorobe–Kachikau road as a rare and critical opportunity, cautioning that failure to include the access roads could delay such development for decades.
