Chronicle Editor
Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Mat South Bureau Chief
A CONTRACTOR has moved on site to resume construction 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.
The complex 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.
Officially opening the 2022 Legal Year on Monday, Deputy Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza said the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works had since engaged a new contractor who has moved on site and would commence work soon.
“The slow progress at Gwanda where we are constructing a multi-purpose court house that will house the various departments of the JSC (Judicial Service Commission) has previously been mentioned.
The Honourable Chief Justice has shared with the nation the interventions which we have been made together with the Minister of Local Government and Public Works and this included having to secure a new contractor. This has since been done.
The contractor has now moved on site and work will commence in earnest soon and is expected to be completed in 12 months,” said Justice Gwaunza.
She said the Secretary of the JSC had been directed to ensure that work moves with speed at this project.
Justice Gwaunza said the other outstanding project in Lupane, Matabeleland North province, was progressing well.
“Lupane is the provincial capital for the Matabeleland North Province. It was an anomaly that in our court structures we did not have Matabeleland North as a Province.
This was rectified in 2019 as it became our tenth province. We did not have our own court house at Lupane as we have been renting offices from the District Administrator. We immediately commenced construction of a court house in 2019. The progress of the project has been fairly good as the main court, the prison cells and ablution facilities are all covered by roof,” said Justice Gwaunza.
She said work on finishings like plumbing, electricity, floor tiling and painting had since commenced.
“It is expected that the project will be completed by the end of the first legal term of 2022,” said Justice Gwaunza.
Magistrates and other court officials in Gwanda town are currently operating from different places and many of them have to share the few rooms that have been availed to the Judicial Service Commission.
Some of the magistrates and officials are accommodated at the new Government Complex while others are located at different sites around the town. — @Yolisswa
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