Chronicle Editor
Special Correspondent
WATER challenges in Matabeleland South are set to ease with the drilling of 150 boreholes in the province’s seven districts which began recently and is set to be completed early next year.
The development is part of ongoing nationwide assistance in the provision of clean water by the Chinese government through its donor agency, China Aid, and part of a bilateral agreement struck by President Mnangagwa and his counterpart, President Xi Jinping when he visited the Asian giant in 2018.
Beitbridge, Gwanda, Umzingwane, Matobo, Bulilima and Mangwe districts will have 150 water points and this follows the completion of similar projects in Masvingo and Manicaland provinces.
Technical team leader Mr Jin Wei at China Jiangxi International Co-operation (CJIC), which is China Aid’s implementing partner, said the work in Matabeleland South ended the year on a high on the back of successful implementation of the project set to end next September when the rest of Matabeleland provinces will be covered.
“You will recall that this project started its Phase 1 in Matabeleland when we drilled and equipped 64 boreholes in Tsholotsho, Nkayi and Hwange in Matabeleland North as well as Umzingwane and Matobo Districts in Matabeleland South,” said Mr Jin.
The first phase was between 2012 and 2013. The second phase was from 2014 and 2015 when a total of 136 boreholes were drilled in Mashonaland Central (69) and Mashonaland East (67) while the third phase between 2015 and 2017 saw 300 boreholes drilled in Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central.
The ongoing phase will provide a total of 500 boreholes with Mutare and Masvingo having commissioned 200 and 150 boreholes, respectively.
“We have just started in Matabeland South again and this time we are drilling 150 boreholes in the province,” he said.
This comes on the back of the drilling of 150 boreholes in Masvingo last month.
Mr Renias Mutoko, the Masvingo provincial co-ordinator of the project said seven districts in the province had been assisted under the programme and thanked the governments of Zimbabwe and China for their co-operation.
The Chinese government is assisting Zimbabwe in the provision of clean water to rural communities by drilling boreholes in the driest parts of the country in a programme that started in 2012.
The State-linked entity China Jiangxi International Co-operation, which is drilling the boreholes, has been hailed for its professional work that has resulted in the drilling of boreholes with high yields and life span of between 10 and 20 years. An average of 50 households access the water from each borehole.
CJIC also constructed Marovanyati Dam in Buhera, Manicaland province, which was commissioned by President Mnangagwa in October. Another project underway is Bindura Dam in Mashonaland Central, which is expected to be completed in the next 18 months.
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