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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Service is gradually improving at the cash-strapped Beitbridge Municipality as the Government continues to pour funds for capital projects under the devolution initiative.
Already, the local authority has started building a new clinic using devolution funds.
The clinic is being constructed to match the town’s growing population.
With devolution funds, Beitbridge has procured a refuse compactor truck, built a new primary school in the Khwalu 2 suburb, bought earth moving equipment, upgraded its ICT facilities and procured two service vehicles in the last three years.
They also built five two-roomed houses to address the colonial problem of crowding in the Dulivhadzimu suburb.
The new primary school built by the local authority is set to open doors for classes in the second term that begins on May 7.
Beitbridge town clerk, Mr Loud Ramakgapola, said the town’s population was rapidly growing, hence the need to match that growth with the provision of critical services.
“We have been able to address service delivery challenges through the devolution fund and now we are building a new clinic, north of the town to cater for new suburbs,” he said.
New suburbs in the north of the town include Tshitaudze (Ha Mangavha, PWD, Hlalani Khuhle area, Madinginye (new medium density) and Mabidi (medium and low density) located west along the Beitbridge to Bulawayo Road.
“The town’s population is ever growing and we have seen the need to increase our clinics.
“So we are building one in the area and we are almost done with the foundation. We expect to fund the project from devolution funds and complete it in the shortest possible time.”
Mr Ramakgapola said the council was also sprucing up a building in the Tshitaudze suburb to house a satellite clinic in the meantime.
The facility will open doors soon, pending inspection by authorities from the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
At the moment, Beitbridge Municipality has one clinic and there are at least six private surgeries and the Premier Medical Services Polyclinic catering for the over 100 000 population and a number of people from the 15 000 who pass through the town daily, and may need medical attention.
With their 2023 devolution funds, the council managed to digitise services, buy solar power back up systems to ensure they offer continuous services and to upgrade the Local Authorities Digital Systems (LADS) for budget formulation and to construct a new clinic to improve primary healthcare facilities.
According to the latest municipality budget proposal, the council says it intends to build a ploy clinic, construct 25 by two roomed houses, procure a 20 000 litre bowser to augment the firefighting services, buy a tipper, a 12 tonne roller compactor, an ambulance, install public lights, buy tow service vehicles and drill two boreholes at strategic points.
Online Reporter