Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo , Senior Reporter
CONSTRUCTION of the first of 42 homesteads to accommodate families that will be relocated so as to make way for the new Old Gwanda Road is well on course.
This comes as the project’s investor has also revealed that the yellow equipment for actual road works will be on in early June.
In an interview, Zwane Enterprise chief executive officer, Engineer Bekithemba Mbambo revealed that preparatory work for the main project, such as road designs, land application and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), has kicked off.
“We are hard at work doing preparatory works like road design, land applications, EIA and such to pave the way for yellow equipment on the road. We have already started construction of the first homestead at Ntunjambili,” said Eng Mbambo.
He said construction for the other 41 homesteads is expected to start as soon as the final road alignment is done, while the grave movements will be advised by the Chiefs and Local Government, and Public Works officials.
Eng Mbambo said this will most likely be after completion of the homesteads but just before occupancy.
He said yellow vehicles on the road in sections with no issues are expected sometime in early June.
Eng Mbambo also confirmed that they parted ways with the initial road designer as he had no expertise to carry out the expected work.
“He had no qualifications to do and sign for the road designs. We asked him to provide his skills set and he failed. We can’t give a design contract to somebody who is unqualified.
Surely Zimbabwe is not solely dependent on a non-qualified, incapable aspiring road designer to design its roads. There are many who are able and willing and we have since found one to do that work,” said Eng Mbambo.
Eng Mbambo said they were confident of meeting all the Concession Agreement requirements within the given 90 days.
Contrary to pubic belief that the agreement was signed in January, it has since emerged that the arrangement with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development was reached four weeks ago.
