Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu,[email protected]
GWANDA Municipality has purchased earth-moving equipment worth US$425 000 using funds from Zinara and its coffers.
The local authority recently purchased a motorised grader, roller compactor and a 20 tonne tipper truck.
The equipment will see the local authority perform major service delivery obligations such as servicing of stands, maintaining roads and relocating the town’s dumpsite, which was condemned over a decade ago.
Speaking during a briefing meeting during a ceremony where Local Government and Public Works Minister David Garwe commissioned the equipment Gwanda Town Engineer, Phakamile Ndebele said Zinara contributed US$232 841 while council contributed US$192 158 towards purchasing the equipment.
He said the earth-moving machinery is a testament to council’s commitment to delivering quality services to the community.
“As part of our efforts as council to purchase earth-moving equipment we have managed to purchase a grader, roller compactor and tipper, all valued at US$425 000. This new machinery will help us to improve service delivery. The Presidential Call to Action blueprint mandates all local authorities to comply with clearly defined performance standards.
“These cover essential services such as water supply, sanitation, solid waste management, roads and street lighting, public health, environmental management and housing. We believe that with the newly acquired equipment we will achieve the minimum service delivery standards as required by the blueprint,” he said.
Engineer Ndebele said having a grader and tipper will now enable council to service stands for its clients so that they can be cheaper and accessible to low-income earners.
At the moment, servicing of stands is being done by land developers, making them expensive for some people. Engineer Ndebele said the local authority will now timeously respond to sewer and water pipe bursts as it has been relying on manual labour.
He said they will now be able to conduct routine road maintenance and upgrading of the road network.
The municipality has been relying on hired graders, which was made it difficult to ensure proper maintenance of roads.
