Tsholotsho appoints key town board personnel

TSHOLOTSHO Rural District Council has begun the process of appointing key personnel to oversee its newly established town board, a move aimed at accelerating urban development in line with recommendations from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.

Government awarded Tsholotsho Growth Point town board status in 2023, marking a significant step towards enhancing service delivery and infrastructure development in the area.

Tsholotsho RDC’s chief executive officer, Mr Nkululeko Sibanda, confirmed that efforts to separate the RDC from the town board are now well underway.

The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works sent a team to Tsholotsho to address bottlenecks in implementing the town board status. They provided 21 key recommendations, which the local authority is actively working to implement.

Among the key measures, the RDC has so far employed a town board administrator and a bookkeeper, with interviews scheduled for tomorrow to recruit a town board planner.

“These are the three critical positions we needed to fill first. We have also opened separate bank accounts for the RDC and the town board, and we are now in the process of aligning workers under the town board,” said Mr Sibanda.

Workers transitioning to the Tsholotsho Town Board primarily include those from the cleaning, roads and refuse collection departments. To ensure a smooth transition, Mr Sibanda said the RDC recently undertook a benchmarking visit to Binga, which was granted town board status ahead of Tsholotsho.

“We learnt a lot from the trip and we have begun implementing some of the things we learnt. Our town administrator is working on developing the Tsholotsho Town Board logo. We are also working on creating distinct offices for the RDC and Town Board to ensure efficient administration,” he said.

Tsholotsho RDC has also been tasked with critical developmental projects, including the establishment of a proper landfill site approved by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), the construction of additional schools and clinics to ease pressure on existing facilities and the installation of streetlights.

Other priorities include the procurement of an ambulance and a fire tender, as well as the installation of fire hydrants across the town. Furthermore, the council has been urged to enforce strict urban planning regulations in line with Section 23 of the Housing Standards Control Act. This includes formulating a housing policy, conducting proper property valuations and ensuring that new residential and commercial buildings meet urban development standards.

The report also highlights Tsholotsho’s potential to develop into a thriving tourism hub, with opportunities to establish conference centres, accommodation facilities, festival venues and sports facilities. The report also recommends that the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) either hand over the town’s water supply to the RDC or take full responsibility for sewerage management, to ensure seamless service provision.

Mr Sibanda said challenges remain, particularly with surrounding villages encroaching on town boundaries.

“Villagers from Makwakweni, Vundlana and Dombo are extending their homesteads towards the town, creating land disputes. Additionally, livestock herding within the town has become a growing problem,” he said.

Tsholotsho District benefits from strong diaspora support, with many community members abroad contributing to its development. The district is also home to key Government institutions, including the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services and Tsholotsho District Hospital, which houses a nursing training school.

Mr Sibanda said with a clear development roadmap and ongoing engagement with stakeholders, the Tsholotsho Town Board is poised to transform the area into a well-planned urban centre that meets the needs of its growing population. — @themkhust