adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
THE Beitbridge Town Council has started repairing major roads across the border town in a project the local authority is jointly implementing with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development. Town Secretary, Loud Ramakgapola, said the programme will result in the council putting g-blocks on the stretch linking the CBD and the Border post on the exit route used by South Africa bound haulage trucks.
“The development of this town cannot be achieved through the council’s money alone hence we decided to enter into a partnership with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development.
“We are carrying-out much of the civil works using earth moving equipment from both parties.
“This project is being implemented while we await the disbursement of $232,000 from the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara),” he said.
Ramakgapola said they were also jointly involved in pothole patching and re-gravelling of busy roads in the suburbs and along the stretch leading to the Bulawayo-Masvingo junction.
He said the main objective of the project was to improve the state of the roads in the suburbs and decongest the main roads leading to Bulawayo and Harare.
“You will note that most of our roads were extensively damaged by rains hence we need to make them accessible in line with the town’s development goals” he said.
Ramakgapola said most of the badly damaged roads are those linking the town’s CBD with the bus terminus, Hlalani Khuhle and Shule Shule areas.
He said besides the roads project, the council was also clearing bushes across the town especially in crime hot spots.
The town secretary said they were concerned with the increase of robberies and other crimes which are being committed in bushy areas.
“As a local authority we have a responsibility to ensure our residents are safe,” he said.
Londile Moyo
Bongani Ndlovu