Bontleng market gets a facelift

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Monday May 6, 2013 00:00

 

Thanks to a new investor, the massive structure has been turned into a huge double-storey building that has been sub divided into shopping units. Construction of the shopping complex is almost at completion phase and some of the apartments seem to be ready for occupation. Senior Public Relations Officer for Gaborone City Council Seleetso Lekgaba revealed that the council sold the structure to a local company Bophelo Bakery last year, at a value of almost P1.5 million during an auction.

The market, which was  located at Bontleng shopping centre, was built by the Gaborone City Council in the 1980s to be used by vendors and other informal traders.  But the market has never been functional and the massive structure was turned into a white elephant. The informal traders shunned it because it was located in the 'wrong area' where it is assumed there is no business.  For a long time, the council did not know what to do with the structure. 

It was only ten years ago that the council leased out the structure to a private developer.  The private developer was supposed to transform the structure into a commercial building that would be leasing out offices and shops.

However, it was soon to be abandoned again as the businessman who took over the building ran out of funds. He apparently could not secure loans from commercial banks because the lease period that he had entered into with the council was considered to be too short. The building was left incomplete and once again remained vacant until, it was sold off last year.