adminPatrick Chitumba Senior Reporter
LAWYERS representing Bulawayo Council and a South African contractor are meeting to finalise the $60 million deal to upgrade the Basch Street Terminus into a state-of-the-art shopping complex and regional transit centre.South African civil engineering firm Terracotta (Pvt) Ltd won the tender ahead of two other local companies to upgrade the terminus popularly known as Egodini but seven months down the line – there is nothing on the ground to show that the project will go on. However, council has insisted that it is confident that the work would commence as soon as lawyers conclude all the necessary paperwork.
Terracotta was supposed to have signed the contract by end of last December.
Council even issued a notice to vendors and commuter omnibus operators to vacate the terminus by January 1 to make way for the project.
Acting Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor Gift Banda told Chronicle that lawyers for the two parties were working on a comprehensive memorandum of understanding before any work can start.
“What I know is that the project is going to take place,” he said in an interview from Masvingo yesterday.
Clr Banda was, however, at pains to explain the reasons behind the delay in signing the agreement.
“As council we are very keen to have that project take off because once completed, it will change the face of Egodini and Bulawayo at large,” he said.
“I understand that council lawyers and those representing the constructor are busy working on the agreements because we can’t go ahead with it without agreeing all the way.”
Clr Dube added, “The chamber secretary and our legal department are working flat out and as soon as they are through, the project will kick off.”
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