adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
BEITBRIDGE Town Council’s finance and administration committee chairperson Max Chikova has hired a grader at his own expense to rehabilitate damaged roads in the border town.Chikova, the councillor for ward one, said the grader operator has started doing civil works targeting roads that were extensively damaged by the rains last year.
He said the move was part of the promises he made to the community in the run-up to the harmonised elections last year. Chikova, a prominent businessman in Beitbridge, said his workers have so far managed to regravel a 2km stretch of the road in the low-density area at a cost of $1,000.
“The town council is cash strapped hence I have mobilised my own resources to rehabilitate most damaged roads in the low density area. I am working with the local business community in creating a ward development fund with the view of tarring roads in our area and also repairing other key infrastructure such as street lights and boreholes,” he said.
Chikova called on the business community to consider giving back to the community by championing projects such as repairing and construction of key infrastructure.
He said the town council was involved in a number of developmental projects but poor funding was affecting progress. Chikova urged residents and other rate payers to settle their bills on time to ensure that the local authority remained a viable entity.
Chikova is a successful farmer who also runs several bottle stores in the town, hardware shops and a piggery project.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter