Saba community gets clean water

Tawanda Marwizi Herald Correspondent
Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs Cde Cain Mathema has urged traditional leaders and communities to co-operate with friendly organisations to foster sustainable development.

He said this while commissioning the Saba water pipeline that was installed by the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) in Binga last week.

“Government will always be in full support of such noble humanitarian efforts and we want to encourage the local leadership and the community to work with important players like the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society in fostering sustainable development,” he said.

Cde Mathema said by installing the water pipeline, the implementing partners had contributed towards safe water and also addressed issues around sanitation.

“The project has brought some positives in the local health and hygiene practices and improved lives for communities that had been susceptible to diarrhoeal diseases. Thanks for the intervention!

“Safe water goes with sanitation where people would need to wash hands after using the toilet, put in place pot rakes and ensure they have rubbish pits,” he said.

Chief Saba hailed the organisation for coming up with a project that brought sanity in Binga.

“We take the minister’s word and on behalf of other chiefs here in Binga, I want to thank ZRCS for their efforts in resolving some of the problems we are facing here,” he said.

ZRCS secretary- general Mr Maxwell Phiri said the organisation complemented Government, and it was meant to back up the State’s humanitarian programmes.

“The ZRCS is enacted through an Act of Parliament so that it plays a complementary role to Government humanitarian efforts,” he said.

Mr Phiri said they were doing both developmental and emergency projects, so that beyond addressing present pressing needs, they also develop the community’s capacity to cope with obtaining humanitarian challenges and other related disasters.

The Saba community had for long been facing challenges accessing clean water.