Residents of Tsabong will have to wait a bit longer for the airfield which the Civil Aviation Authority promised to build at Logaganeng area more 10 years ago.
This was said by Minister of Transport and Communications Thulaganyo Segokgo last week when responding to a question by Member of Parliament for Tsabong, Sam Brooks, who was curious about the progress made so far.
“The design for Tsabong airfield was a combined project with design for Hukuntsi airfield, which was done at a cost of P1,484,797.00 and was completed in 2011. The project could not be implemented due to the economic meltdown of 2010. CAAB submitted a proposal for funding under National Development Plan (NDP) 11, but could not be funded due to financial constraints and other competing needs,” Segokgo said.
He added that the project will be relocated to another place because of limitations on its future expansions.
However, it seems there are other stakeholders who have lost patience in waiting for the airfield, and therefore want to use the land for other activities.
The Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development has indicated its ambitions of using the land to build a community sports complex and this has caused an apparent conflict between the two entities.
“I am not aware of any conflict between Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC) and CAAB. A request from MYSC for the construction of community sports field was received through a letter dated 8th August 2019. The request proposed two sites, both in the proximity of the existing Tsabong airstrip,” the minister said.
Minister Segokgo further said that one of the proposed developments by MYSC was rejected, being the old stadium site which was found unsuitable as it encroached into the landing/ departure flight paths of the existing airstrip.
However, another project was given a green light.
