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Midlands Bureau
Kwekwe City Council has channelled $15 million towards the refurbishment of its health facilities and other council owned infrastructure.
The local authority has also embarked on a massive clean up the city initiative targeting illegal dumpsites.
Part of the funds will also be used towards social amenities that include stadiums, halls, vocational centres. Acting Town Clerk, Dr Lucia Mnkandla said the state of the health facilities was no longer appealing and needed a facelift.
“We have embarked on an initiative to refurbish all our five clinics across the city where we are plastering, repainting, retiling and repairing the toilets so that they are up to standard. Long-term plans are also underway to purchase new furniture and equipment for these clinics,” she said.
Kwekwe has clinics in Mbizo 1, Mbizo 11, Amaveni, and Al Davies in Newtown Suburb as well as the recently completed Infectious Disease Hospital.
Dr Mnkandla said illegal dump sites were also becoming a health hazard.
“We are having a serious challenge where residents are dumping waste everywhere and we are going round clearing all the garbage. We had to hire equipment for that exercise since we do not have enough as the local authority.
We have also improved on refuse collection and we call upon citizens to be responsible and avoid dumping waste everywhere.”
She said a technical committee had been set to spearhead the construction of a waste recycling plant.
“It is work in progress and we have already set up a committee to come up with terms of reference so that work can start anytime. As you know we have already identified the place near Dutchman’s Pool where the recycling plant will be constructed.”
Dr Mnkandla said city stadiums were now in bad shape and needed rehabilitation.
“Once we are done with health facilities, we are moving into social amenities, especially stadiums which are now in a sorry state.
“We will look into halls as well and other sports and recreational facilities like Mbizo Youth Centre. We will need to rehabilitate all those facilities and give them a fresh look.”
On roads, Dr Mnkandla said the local authority was rehabilitating all major roads.
She said some contractors were taking longer than expected to complete the road works.
“We continue pushing the contractors given work by the government but as council we are also working on some roads. We recently completed Burma Road and we continue moving into other roads which are in bad shape.”
Online Reporter