admin
Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Beitbridge Municipality executives have been challenged to channel part of their allocation of devolution funds towards sprucing up the town’s key infrastructure to match its transformation drive.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Professor Mthuli Ncube, said this in an interview recently after commissioning a block of 36 flats to Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) employees and the launch of drones, fast cargo scanners and electronic cargo tracking systems at the Beitbridge Border Post.
He said it was important for the town to be modernised as has been done with the border post where Government and the Zimborders Consortium have invested US$300 million into modernising the border to improve efficiencies.
Already, Government has completed constructing a 5km dual carriageway linking the port of entry and the major highways linking the town with Bulawayo and Harare.
Other projects completed by Government as part of the border transformation project include building 220 houses for border agencies, an 11, 4 mega litre water reservoir, a new fire station, a new sewer oxidation dam and an animal and plant quarantine centre.
“We have invested a lot of money into the upgrading of the Beitbridge Border Post and also launched the drones’ surveillance system, fast cargo scanners and the electronic cargo systems. This is a majestic investment,” said Prof Ncube.
“Again, have handed over this block of 36 flats to Zimra workers deployed to Beitbridge and we know that there are other projects that still need to be completed and we are on to them here together with the Ministry of National Housing. But also, we are aware that there is some infrastructure deficit within the Beitbridge town itself which include the sewer and water reticulation facilities and roads linking the residential areas among others.”
Prof Ncube said all those outstanding issues need to be addressed through the use of devolution funds.
“So, I urge the authorities at the Beitbridge Municipality to use these funds to spruce up the town to meet the development trajectory at the border and the Government is committed to see this through,” he said.
More resources would be invested in Beitbridge in line with the mantra of ensuring no place is left behind in terms of infrastructure development, said Prof Ncube.
He added that Government was also rolling out a robust housing development programme to provide decent houses to its workers.
Infrastructure upgrade programmes are also underway in cantonments such as those for the police and army.
“With regards to the border post here, we are determined to upgrade the infrastructure for all Government agencies and other security clusters,” said Prof Ncube.
“So, really we are committed as the Government to provide decent accommodation for civil servants and we have said as Government we don’t want to leave anyone or any place behind.
“Housing development is a key pillar of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and we are determined to achieve that target,” he said. Through the various initiatives such as the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP), Government has been attending to some roads in the town.
Government is also constructing a new Vehicle Inspection Depot (VID) outside the main port of entry, with the development now at an advanced stage.
Already, the Beitbridge Municipality has been able to construct a new primary school in Ward 4, in the Khwalu 2 suburb through devolution funds and it will open its doors for classes next term. Council has also used its devolution allocations to buy earth moving equipment, which is critical in the servicing of stands and road construction.
With their 2023 devolution funds, the Beitbridge Municipality managed to digitise services, buy solar power back up systems to ensure they offer continuous services, and to upgrade the Local Authorities Digital Systems (LADS) for budget formulation and to construct a new clinic to improve primary healthcare facilities.
According to the latest municipality budget proposal, the council intends to build a poly clinic, construct 25 by two-roomed houses, procure a 20 000 litre bowser to augment the firefighting services, a tipper, a 12 tonne roller compactor, an ambulance install public lights, buy tow service vehicles and drill two boreholes at strategic points.
Service delivery has gradually been improving at the cash-strapped municipality as the Government continues to put in funds for capital projects under the devolution initiative.
In the last four years, the council procured a refuse compactor truck, upgraded its ICT facilities and procured two service vehicles.
They also built five two-roomed houses to address the colonial problem of crowding in the Dulilvhadzimu suburbs.
Council is targeting to build a set of 28 new two-roomed houses.
Online Reporter