Volume 65 December 2026-January 2026 : Feature
Bandleng :A town to be reborn
Author : Ndingililo Gaoswediwe
Despite its amazing history, Lobatse`s beauty appears to have vanished in a series of low lying hills that surround the mini town. Scattered derelict residential and commercial structures are a common sight in this town that lies 70km south of the capital city, Gaborone.
The structures give the town a grey and gray image that overshadows the beauty that modern structures such as the newly built sporting facility, Geological Survey nerve center and the state of art Sbrana Psychiatric hospital try to portray.
Rich in history, one would expect Bandleng as the town is popularly branded, to be characterised by modern and refurbished structures. This is the very town that once gave refuge to former and late Mozambican president, Samora Machel.
Botswana`s leading chain store (Choppies) was born here and by then known as Wayside. One of the first two teachers training colleges was located here. The town is home to Botswana Meat Commission headquarters and the first local sports wear manufacturing factory - All Kasi.
Being the first town in the country and taking shape of an urban area in 1897 as a stopover at the junction of Mafikeng to Bulawayo and Kanye to Zeerust road, authorities are worried about the status of Bandleng given its strategic location that makes it an ideal place for investment.
There is no way authorities could revitalize the dilapidated and old structures to thoroughly give Lobatse a facelift because of absentee landlords, explains senior public relations officer with the town council, Ofentse Thwabi.
He further explains, “Issue ya absentee landlords ke mathata! Re kwaletse Ministry of Local Government to seek advice on what to do.” Though he cannot confirm the number of abandoned commercial and residential structures, Thwabi says such give the town a tainted image.
An Upkeep Committee has been set up to give Bandleng a new lease of life through cleaning, maintaining roads, streetlights and painting old buildings.
“Our initiatives are thwarted by absentee landlords because we can`t paint those houses that are scattered all over the place. These are private property,” he says.
Some landlords are said to have relocated to their places of origin, without a trace. Prior to moving, Thwabi says some landlords leased some of their residential properties which at the moment are uninhabitable because they are never renovated despite being exposed to harsh weather conditions.
Some residents in locations such as Peleng are taking risks staying in these houses that under normal circumstances are uninhabitable since some of them are cracked while others are without proper egresses.
As council authorities await the ministry`s response, Thwabi remains optimistic that the town will nonetheless experience a positive growth.
The impending Milk Afric multi-million pula milk project is expected to absorb some of the 29 000 inhabitants of the town into the job market who have not been lucky with the major private employers such as BMC, Lobatse Clay Works, can manufacturers, sugar packing industries and brewery.Ends