Corruption can take us to Zim

| Monday May 13, 2013 00:00

While I was still trying to recollect myself and ask what was happening two lanky Special Constables then came  in hot pursuit breathing heavily like greyhounds gaining in on a rabbit.  Then my brother's girlfriend started to speak with an excited voice 'Ba lelekile mosadi wa LeZimbabwe, hey basadi ba Ma Zimbabwe bana le lebelo, o bone gore o tudile terata e kahe?' 

Meanwhile the two young Special Constables were gazing at the thick bush the lady had disappeared into, too shocked to speak and wondering how such a chubby lady showed them a clean pair of heels. I then found my voice and with a trembling voice I asked 'O tlhaga ha kae, o dirile eng?'  The two Special Constables were still too astonished to speak and to their rescue my brother's girlfriend answered, 'O ne a loga ngwanyana wa next door, go raya gore ga ana dipampiri'. 

By that time the two Special Constables were matching in the direction of the gate visibly embarrassed by their failure to catch the chubby lady.  This scene which had just unfolded before us led me to warn my brother's girlfriend that in a few years to come it will be Batswana scaling fences in neighbouring countries.  'Ijoo, ele gore re tla bo re ile go batlang koo' she exclaimed.  I then sat her down and explained that just like Botswana, Zimbabwe used to be so prosperous that it was called 'ko go elelang mashi le dinotshe'.  

Due to misrule, corruption, economic mismanagement it is now producing chubby high jump athletes. In a few years to come, 10 to 15 years to be precise, we Batswana will be reaping the rewards of being innocent bystanders while their wealth is being plundered. 

I wonder if there is a country in the world which beats Botswana's record  in the number of projects which are behind schedule and already falling apart. Our solution to this crisis is  to pump more money into these failing projects instead of holding people involved accountable. 

Our diamonds are running out and so is our money and very soon we will realise how fortunate we were and when it happens hunger will be gnawing at our stomachs in foreign lands where we will be economic refugees.The other day it was all smiles when Government officials were being taken on a tour of the National Stadium and the construction company was assuring them that the project will be handed to Government  in six months.  The news reader was also beaming with excitement as she read the news 'Goromente are o itumeletse gore Rra Kontera are ga ana go lopa madi a mangwe mo godimo ga 7 Million yo a mo lopileng'. 

That clearly shows that our government now accepts that we always have to pay more than what projects cost and if it does not happen its equivalent to a discount for us. In other words if you are not cheating us you will be doing us a big favour, we forget that these companies have no business in cheating us in the first place.

The Lobatse Stadium was also completed behind schedule and the workmanship was also not up to scratch and more money was spent to redo the turf.The Francistown stadium is still not complete and the least said about the Serowe Stadium the better because that one really breaks my heart because it was built on black cotton soil and the only solution is to relocate it. Of all the companies responsible, I have never heard anybody being held accountable or any company being blacklisted and its assets being sold to compensate the state. 

Our solution is to throw more millions into these projects and engage the same companies which failed us without realising that the money is running out fast.The Kanye Land Fill  which cost P23 million which was recently handed to government is already in a terrible state and chances are more money is going to be pumped into the project without anybody being held accountable. 

There is also a likelihood that the same company which messed up in the first place will win the tender again because such companies are never blacklisted.   The Sir Seretse Khama Airport roof has been blown off before the project is even completed and Government is going to incur the expenses of repairing the it.The other day a geyser was being installed at my rented house ahead of the winter season and I mentioned to the plumber that almost everything in the BHC house was of inferior quality. 

The door handles are falling off, The plumber retort 'Mantlo a othle ke condemn, e bile ga gona yo o ka buwang sepe ka gore bagolwane ba ja le tsone di kompone tse di agang '.  That made me realise that we do not stand a chance against these cabals. 

ills which are worth millions were burnt by Central Medical Stores and nobody was held accountable because we still have more money to buy more pills.  Imagine if it was our last money, heads were going to roll. By this time my brother's girlfriend's gaze was riveted to the place where the Zimbabwean had flown over the fence clearly sizing it up and wondering if she could also jump that high.  With a weak voice she mumbled ' Nna Rra ga nkake ka ya go tlola diterata ko Mafatsheng a sele'. 

But clearly she was beginning to see that we are heading in the same direction as Zimbabwe. Its only a matter of time, 10 to 15 years to be precise.......unless if we do something about it.

Yours TrulyMthandazo Solomon