Chronicle Editor
Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief
Treasury has disbursed funds for the completion of the Gwanda Magistrates Court Complex whose construction began more than 10 years ago.
The construction of the court complex has been suspended several times over the years due to lack of funds.
A contractor has already moved on site to resume construction of the court complex which is located behind the police provincial headquarters in Gwanda town and comprises a basement with holding cells, a ground floor with four court rooms and offices as well as the first floor with four court rooms and offices.
Responding to questions in parliament, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said a new contractor would complete the Gwanda Magistrates Court Complex this year.
“We now have a new contractor who is going to complete the Gwanda High Court this year.
The Ministry of Finance last week released funding to ensure that the court is completed.
So very soon, the Hon. Member will notice that activity will be commencing at Gwanda Court,” said Minister Ziyambi.
He said the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works would supervise construction of the court house.
“Public Works supervises construction of the majority of public buildings that will be under construction.
They do not have the capacity to be constructing all the buildings.
The Chinhoyi Court was constructed by a private contractor.
In fact, the company that constructed Chinhoyi Court is the one that is going to complete the Gwanda Court.
So it is not lack of confidence in Public Works.
They will be involved during the day to day construction of the court and they are part of it but because of the capacity to do all the Government projects at once, we end up having certain entities subcontracting and that would be done with the approval of the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works,” said Minister Ziyambi.
Turning to timelines of when the court house would be completed, Minister Ziyambi said everything was now set with the goal of completing and commissioning the building by the end of this year.
“The Ministry of Finance has released the funding and the contractor is there.
We are hoping that immediately within the foreseeable future, if the Hon. Member goes to Gwanda, she will start seeing some activity happening.
Our target is to ensure that the court is completed and commissioned before the end of this year,” said Minister Ziyambi. — @Yolisswa
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