Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya
A TOUR of the flood-prone Dulivhadzimu Township in Beitbridge was conducted by Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Albert Nguluvhe, yesterday with a view to finding permanent solutions to the area’s ongoing flooding issues.
Accompanied by senior Government officials, members of the local Civil Protection Committee, and Beitbridge town clerk, Mr Loud Ramakgapola, Minister Nguluvhe assessed the situation firsthand. Beitbridge Municipality has announced that it is taking steps to address the frequent flash floods occurring in the town’s low-lying sections, which make these areas particularly vulnerable during the rainy season.
Residents have long suffered the consequences of severe flooding, particularly those living near the old long-distance bus terminus, the Dulivhadzimu Business Centre, the police base, hostels, the flea market, and the local stadium.
These areas are susceptible to rising water levels, which bring significant hardships to the community.
During the visit, Minister Nguluvhe said teamwork and extensive consultation by the local authority were important when implementing an urban renewal concept for the area.
He issued a 90-day ultimatum for the council to effectively address the challenges in Dulivhadzimu suburb.
“The issue of flash floods, bad roads and poor service delivery should be put to rest,” said Minister Nguluvhe.
“We need to work together to find a lasting solution to these problems. We are deeply concerned about the plight of these community members.”
Minister Nguluvhe underscored the necessity for collaboration between the central Government, local authorities and local businesses in implementing the urban renewal concept, which aims for improved drainage systems, better-planned infrastructure development and enhanced service delivery.
The minister’s visit follows recent flooding in the area, which further complicated the lives of residents.
He also challenged the council to address ongoing community concerns regarding temporary selling points, particularly those related to water, sanitation, and hygiene.
In light of the recurring flooding issue, the municipality has relocated the bus terminus to higher ground.
Civil works for the new long-distance rank are underway, managed by the local authority in phases, following the dismissal of a private contractor due to poor performance.
“We can’t continue to have people living in fear of flooding every time it rains,” Minister Nguluvhe said.
“We need to take a holistic approach to address the root causes of these problems and ensure that our communities are safe and well-served.”
The council’s engineering department was rallied to formulate a viable plan to tackle service delivery challenges throughout the town, focusing especially on stormwater drainage and the Dulivhadzimu Township area.
Beitbridge Senator, Cde Tambudzani Mohadi and Beitbridge West legislator Cde Thusani Ndou, who accompanied the minister during the visit, called for an urgent need to resolve the flooding issues in Dulivhadzimu permanently, offering their full support to the council.
Mr Ramakgapola said the municipality had issued a tender for a feasibility study to initiate the urban renewal of Dulivhadzimu Township.
He said the local authority had allocated ZWG3 million to address drainage issues and desilting in the township’s oldest sections.
The town clerk also announced plans to seek Government approval for direct procurement to expedite urgent projects, as they are struggling to attract investors for the urban renewal initiative.
“We have taken note of the yearly flooding issues in that area, and we need to re-plan property development strategically,” said Mr Ramakgapola. “This year, we aim to make significant progress on challenges that we cannot allow to persist. We are also working on our equipment to ensure we can quickly carry out a desilting exercise to facilitate better water flow in the area.”
Chairperson of the local civil protection committee, Mrs Sikhangzile Mafu, said they remain on high alert for climate-related disasters as the rainy season continues.
To date, 23 houses have collapsed due to moisture in rural Beitbridge, but fortunately, there have been no fatalities.
Mrs Mafu said ward committees were being used to gather information and respond to disasters promptly.
“We have identified evacuation centres in higher ground — primarily schools and churches — where we can house people should there be more flooding impacts, especially in Ward 4 and in wards close to major rivers and water bodies in the rural parts of the district,” she said.
Bongani Ndlovu
These floods occur so often. For how long are we going to merely talk about them? I can bet if we happen to have the same floods for the next 15-20 years we will be talking about what to do about them.
These floods occur so often. For how long are we going to merely talk about them? I can bet if we happen to have the same floods for the next 15-20 years we will still be talking of what to do about them.