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Nqobile Tshili Bulawayo Bureau
Rigorous checks will now be done before companies are contracted to rehabilitate roads as some of them were winning tenders without the requisite equipment, a development that saw them subcontracting works.
After President Mnangagwa declared the country’s roads a state of disaster in 2021, the Government is implementing the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2 (ERRP2) which comes to an end this year.
Significant progress has since been made in the rehabilitation of some roads across the country.
At the same time, there has been concern over shoddy work done on some roads that have since been damaged barely a year after being fixed.
On Wednesday during the National Assembly’s Question and Answer session legislators took Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona to task over what action Government was taking after some contractors failed to do a good job.
Minister Mhona said the ministry has also re-evaluated some contracts with contractors as Government wants to get value for money.
“Last month there had been discussion on this issue and it was agreed that there would be a re-evaluation of the charges charged by these local contractors where it would be looked into to see if the Government was receiving its value for money and if they were charging fairly,” said Minister Mhona.
“As a result, many companies had to stop operations because of this programme. The programme went on so well that at the end of last year, most of the companies reviewed their charges to see if they were charging fairly according to the work they were doing on the roads.”
He said going forward, the ministry is not starting work on new roads before completing unfinished ones.
Minister Mhona said the Government will be conducting background checks before a company is awarded a tender.
“We used to have such problems where some people were contracted to do road construction without going deeper to check whether they have knowledge of proper road construction. It was learnt that those people would later subcontract other companies to do the job and also those would not be knowledgeable on road construction; they had no proper equipment which led to poorly done roads,” said Minister Mhona.
He said the Government, together with the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) and road authorities, have agreed to conduct a verification exercise on the capacities of companies that apply to rehabilitate roads.
Minister Mhona said Government will pay road authorities upon completion of works.
“Now, together with Zinara, we gather with all local authorities to verify if those who are being contracted are the right people with requisite knowledge to carry out the work. On our side, no one is going to be given money before satisfactorily completing the road,” said Minister Mhona.
“That has to be clear to all contractors. After a company is contracted, the Ministry officials will follow up before payment to check whether the company has done a perfect job. I agree that it happens that some people contract people who do not have knowledge on the work to be done but I promise that this will never happen, especially on the issue of infrastructure.”
He cited a road in Mutare which was poorly done where the road surface appears to be melting when it is hot.
The minister said going forward such problems will be adequately dealt with and contractors made to account.
Minister Mhona said there is also a concern that some rural district councils have road rehabilitation equipment lying idle because of lack of fuel.
He said Government is ready to provide fuel to road authorities so that roads that need to be regravelled can be done so.
“What I am appealing to the Honourable Members is a list of the equipment that they have in their jurisdictions, whether it is under Rural Infrastructural Development Agency or it is under rural district council, so that we now furnish and give them fuel so that they take charge of some of these roads,” he said.
“Some of the roads just need grading and regravelling. So, we are appealing now to my fellow Honourable Members to say let us work together on this particular disaster that we have of roads that are not trafficable.”
Online Reporter