adminThere is disgruntlement from the residents and local companies who feel that they have been snubbed to provide the construction services especially at the Victoria Falls District Hospital where Bulawayo companies won tenders.
Government has unveiled $6 million towards the expansion works at the hospital that will see the construction of a new ward, reception, administration block, theatre, precast wall and state-of-the-art equipment.
While tour and adventure operators commended the Government for the speedy unveiling of the funds that saw the Department of Public Works opening the tenders, residents and owners of construction companies said the whole tendering process was flawed as it favoured Bulawayo companies.
Chronicle visited the hospital on Friday and witnessed two haulage trucks offloading many tonnes of cement while another one was offloading pitsand.
Hospital administrators were also on site observing as they looked forward to the process that will turn the only district hospital into a state-of-the-art medical institution.
There were also some angry residents watching from a distance who said they were not happy with the tendering process.
They said they were waiting for the right moment to demonstrate against the companies and the employees they brought to do the manual work.
“The tender document on the expansion exercise of the hospital as published in the weekly newspaper, The Sunday News, we were only given about four days to travel to Bulawayo to buy the tender application forms, come back to Victoria Falls, consult and look for quotations before returning the documents back to Bulawayo.
“It is the general feeling of residents and companies here that the tender documents should have been sold at the hospital rather than in Bulawayo.
“We also feel that the Public Works Department did a poor job on the tendering process because I believe that the more than three companies here are more than capable of pulling big projects,” said a manager of one of the local construction companies.
Contacted for comment, the UNWTO local organising committee chairperson, who is also the mayor of Victoria Falls, Councillor Nkosilathi Jiyane, said there was nothing to celebrate about the coming in of Bulawayo companies at the expense of locals.
He said this was no longer the 1950s when there were no companies other than those that specialise in tour and adventure in Victoria Falls.
“Things have changed over the years, Victoria Falls has grown in population and in companies providing services such as construction. In this light it is rather sad that local companies are being sidelined, are being snubbed at the expense of outsiders,” he said.
“When will these companies grow or when will they be allowed to show their strength when every job is given to outsiders?”
Clr Jiyane blamed the Department of Public Works and its “unprocedural tendering process” which he said had led to the overlooking of local companies.
“The tendering process was poorly done, it favoured companies from Bulawayo. In fact, the process was done in Bulawayo, tender forms were bought in Bulawayo, dropped in Bulawayo and the decision was made in Bulawayo.
“So generally we are not happy with the selection procedures, the residents are not happy and to us the project is not for Victoria Falls and it will not be surprising if we do not support it,” he said.
Chronicle also observed Zimbabwe National Water Authority employees laying water pipes from Victoria Falls to the Airport, which is located 20km away.
The water is going to be used in the expansion works at a time when Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe has been given a $150 million lifeline for the expansion of the airport run way, a new terminal and a tower.
The Government has also released $2,5 million for the rehabilitation of trunk roads and $822 000 for the rehabilitation of council roads.
For upgrading of Victoria Falls water supply, Zinwa and Victoria Falls municipality have been allocated about $15 million.
Works include upgrading of the water sewer plant, construction of a 1 000 cubic metre reservoir for Mkhosana and the rehabilitation and expansion of sewer ponds.
Online Reporter