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George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
A health time bomb is ticking at the Great Zimbabwe University’s main campus in Mashava where over 1 000 students are at risk of contracting diseases such as cholera owing to a shortage of water in the mining town. The university’s halls of residence have been without water for the past seven days, forcing students to walk for several kilometres to fetch water using buckets at some unhygienic points.
Some of the students told The Herald at the weekend that they feared an outbreak of diseases such as cholera if the water woes persist.
They urged the university authorities to urgently tackle the water problem and restore running water especially at the halls of residence.
Great Zimbabwe University Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvobgo yesterday confirmed the water problems at the Mashava campus but said they had since been resolved.
He said the water problems were caused by a standoff between Mashava Mine and Zimbabwe National Water Authority over a water debt.
“It is true that we had water problems for several days at our campus in Mashava which is home to over 1 000 of our students but the problem was caused by a stand-off between Zinwa and Mashava Mine over a water debt which forced the former to cut off water supplies.
“However, I must point out that the situation has since been rectified and the halls of residence are now receiving water after Zinwa and Mashava Mine reached an agreement,’’ the Vice Chancellor said.
The university has brought life to Mashava which had turned into a ghost town following the collapse of Shabanie Mashaba Asbestos Mines several years ago.
GZU this year established one of its campuses at Mashava after entering into an agreement with mine management to lease former workers’ houses and administration blocks at Gaths Mine for the next 10 years.
The institution then refurbished the dilapidated houses and turned them into halls of residences while office blocks for the former asbestos mine were turned into lecture rooms for over 1 000 students from the faculties of Culture and Heritage Studies, Arts and Commerce.
Online Reporter