Government greenlights new Bulawayo school project

GOVERNMENT has given the greenlight for the construction of a new private school in Bulawayo, putting to rest contestations that its establishment could be in violation of sustainable management of the environment.

It, however, has advised that in the future there should be minimum construction in wetlands.

Wellspring Primary School in Luveve suburb is partly constructed in a wetland but authorities have said its construction does not affect the ecology.

The country’s laws do not permit construction projects in wetlands as this is bound to affect environmental management.

This emerged in Parliament recently where Emakhandeni-Luveve legislator Mr Collins Bajila asked Environment, Climate and Wildlife Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni if it was permissible to construct a school in a wetland.

In response, Dr Nyoni said the Environment Management Agency investigated the school’s establishment before concluding that its establishment does not affect the wetlands.

“My ministry through the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has inspected the site and carried out an ecological assessment, which brought out the following results: Wellspring Primary School, a private school under Musawenkosi Education Trust acquired the land in 2002 and was given a development permit by the City of Bulawayo in 2023. The land in question is 6,4 hectares in extent,” said Dr Nyoni.

“An ecological assessment done by EMA indicated the following results: 23 percent (2,736 ha) of the land in question is not a wetland and 77 percent (2,937 ha) is a wetland.

“The structures that have been built by the school are confined to the non-wetland area and are 100 metres away from the edge of the wetland.”

The minister said considering that the school was established in a wetland, it was allocated 6,4 ha rather than the usual 3,5 ha for schools with the school’s owners being directed not to build on the wetland.

Dr Nyoni said the school is considered to be in an ecologically sensitive area.

“The way forward is that wetland areas should be left undisturbed or be considered for low-impact projects such as sports fields. Secondly, EMA will continuously monitor the site to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations of the land,” said Dr Nyoni. — @nqotshili