Chronicle Editor
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
THE Hwange Local Board (HLB) has patched potholes on 1,2 kilometres stretch and mobilised 80 percent of the materials needed to reseal potholes in the town under the Government Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP).
Responding to questions from Sunday News, HLB Town Secretary Mr Ndumiso Mdlalose said they have received 20 percent allocation under phase 1 of the ERRP.
“We were allocated $11 million but we received 20 percent of our Phase I allocation, which was $2 297 212. 50. Work is in progress under phase I of the programme and we have engaged a contractor under ERRP.
“At the moment the contractor is doing pothole patching over a stretch of 1,2 kilometres in Chibondo. The contractor is expected to reseal the same road with 80 percent of the resealing material already mobilised to date,” said Mr Mdlalose.
In terms of areas which were of priority, he said at their focus was on Chibondo and Baobab suburbs and thereafter the roads team will move to Empumalanga (high density) suburb. Mr Mdlalose said they were also working on roadside vegetation clearing, storm water drainage clearing and resuscitation as well as pothole patching at Baobab low density suburb.
“We will be going to tender soon for Phase II projects and these entail periodic maintenance works, such as road reconstruction and resealing. Suffice to say, Phase II will run concurrently with Phase I,” added Mr Mdlalose.
In other projects, he said that the council was working on the installation of the water reticulation system in Empumalanga phase four, stage two housing project.
“We are in the process of going to tender for the procurement of steel pipes as the area we are working on has a rock outcrop.”
Mr Mdlalose said under Government Devolution Funds they were looking forward at upgrading sewer reticulation infrastructure at Empumalanga, constructing a new primary school as well as completing an Early Childhood Development block at Nechibondo Primary School.
“We are also working in partnership with the Zimbabwe Power Company to development over 500 houses for the relocation of Ingagula suburb to Empumalanga Phase 7.”
Meanwhile, according to the local authority’s latest monthly newsletter, the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) has expressed satisfaction on the initial work being carried out by the local board.
Speaking during a tour of a site where road works were being undertaken by HLB through utilisation of ERRP funds, Zinara Matabeleland North provincial technician Engineer Enock Masocha said he was impressed by the workmanship exhibited by the local authority at the preliminary stage of the road rehabilitation programme.
“I’m quite impressed by the work which is currently undertaken by Council under their scope of works, which is vegetation and drainage clearance but I think the depth of the drains should be attended to,” he said.
Eng Masocha was part of a high-powered provincial delegation led by Matabeleland North Provincial Development Coordinator Mrs Sithandiwe Ncube to monitor and assess ERRP progress in the province. Mrs Ncube called on the Council to expedite the road rehabilitation so that the roads could be trafficable.
“The funding is there but I’m a bit worried about the pace in implementing the project by local authorities.
“I’m, however, glad that we have picked up the tempo and we are now on track and moving with speed. I’m saying let’s utilise the money before it depreciates in value,” she said.
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