Palapye stopover - ‘Where the action is’

“Palapye is where the action is in Botswana from a freight perspective,” says Tsimane Mogami, managing director of Zebra Shipping. Situated half way between Francistown and Gaborone, and close to the South African border, it is best known to the freight industry as a stop-over on the main north-south road route. The national railway, which connects all the major towns and cities in Botswana to each other, also passes through Palapye. However, it has become a destination in its own right through the expansion of the Morupule colliery and Morupule power station, the building of a university and a glass plant. The 450 ton a day float glass plant being built by the FengYue Glass Manufacturing Company (Botswana) is a joint venture between the Botswana Development Corporation and the Shanghai-based Fengyue Glass Company. Work started on the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) in December 2009, with the first phase due for completion in July 2011, followed by the first student intake in August 2011. A further boost to the Palapye economy is expected from the building of a commercial airport, as well as the possible opening of new mines near the town, says Mogami. Zebra Shipping has opened offices in Palapye to meet the demand for clearing and forwarding services.