Boost for Masvingo roads as Zinara releases $700k

Known as the Coal Tar Project, the initiative is a joint venture by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, the Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) and Midlands State University (MSU).

Masvingo Correspondent
MASVINGO city council has received more than $700 000 from the Zimbabwe National Road Authority which will see the resurfacing of the city’s road network, an official has said.

In an interview city chief engineer Mr Tawanda Gozo said the money will go a long way in repairing roads with priority given to those in the Central Business District.

“In September, we received $420 000 from Zinara before yet another $288 000 which we received early this week (last week). While the money which we receive in batches may not be enough to cover all roads, we are happy that we are doing something to address challenges of poor road network,” he said.

He said on average the local authority receives about $1 million annually from Zinara for road maintenance.

“We have attended to Hofmeyer Street in the CBD, which we have resurfaced for about 300 metres, Charumbira Street in Mucheke where we have resurfaced Mujingwe Street from Target Kopje Suburb to Mucheke. We are targeting to resurface a total of 10 kilometres using the money with the CBD getting a lion’s share,” he said.

Mr Gozo said the local authority has also acquired state of the art earth moving equipment valued at $400 000.

He said council has factored in the need for more road maintenance equipment in the 2018 budget.

Council has proposed a standstill $26 million budget for next year with all tariffs unchanged. Masvingo city has a total road network of 257 kilometres but only four kilometres are in good shape while 153 kilometres are average, according to the council.