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Luthando Mapepa
Chipinge Correspondent
A ROAD compactor worth US$72 000 which was procured by Chipinge Town Council using devolution funds developed a mechanical fault a few minutes after it started working on a road and has been stuck along Moodie Street in the Central Business District for almost two months, The Manica Post has learnt.
The grader was expected to improve Chipinge town’s road network.
The road compactor was bought using devolution funds last year and was delivered to the council close to two months ago.
The compactor was bought from a Harare-based company and developed a mechanical fault the day it was commissioned to work on Moodie Street.
The development has seen residents calling for investigations on how the road compactor was purchased.
In an letter written by Chipinge Town Community Association (CTCA) which was addressed to the District Development Coordinator, the police and the Office of the President and Cabinet, the association is demanding an explanation from Chipinge Town Council on how the road compactor was procured.
“After widely consulting the business community and ratepayers of Chipinge, we were left with no choice expect to demand an explanation on the circumstances surrounding our road compactor.
“Why should such an expensive asset continue lying idle at the NSSA Complex for almost two months? If it is breakdown, why don’t you expedite its repair so that it can be used to fix our road network?
“We demand and expect a positive response by May 24, 2022. Failure to do that, we will take the matter to a higher authority,” reads part of the letter
Mr Vrante Mahlupeko of Chipinge Residents Trust(CRT) added that the council should not take residents for granted.
“The recently purchased Bomarch roller/compactor only moved for three metres and developed a serious mechanical fault. Nothing is being done to repair it. Although management at the council claims that it was new, we suspect it was rebuilt and painted to appear new to deceive us.
“Is there no warranty from the supplier or money exchanged hands in this whole deal?” he said.
However, the council chairperson, Councillor Lovemore Mkwapati allayed fears that the council was duped by the company that supplied the compactor.
Councillor Mkwapati said the supplier has an obligation to fix the compactor as per their agreement of sale.
“The compactor broke down a few minutes after it started working on Moodie Street and the breakdown was caused by failure of injector pipes to pump diesel to the engine.
“Council called the suppliers to come and fix the compactor, but they took long to do so. When they eventually came, they failed to fix it and went back promising to come back after a few days, but they are yet to return.
“We wrote to them complaining about the delay, and they promised to come last week on Thursday, but they did not pitch up.
“Stakeholders are now up in arms with the council making all sorts of allegations. Some are even suggesting underhand dealings by our procurement unit. Some are saying the compactor is second hand and therefore should be replaced.
“According to our agreement of sale, there is a 2000km warranty on the compactor and this means the supplier still has an obligation to fix or replace it with another one,” said Councillor Mkwapati.
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