Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Matabeleland South Bureau
THE rehabilitation of Gungwe Dam in Gwanda District, Matabeleland South Province has improved access to water for over 3 000 members of the community, schools and a local clinic, improving the sanitation of the institutions.
This development has brought relief to people from 12 villages who had endured more than a decade without a reliable water source after the dam was destroyed by cyclone-induced rains.
The dam is also supplying water to Gungwe Primary, Gungwe High School, Gungwe Clinic and Gungwe Business Centre.
Villagers were struggling to access water as the dam would dry up quickly.
Mrs Dorcas Makhitha, a villager, said they used to struggle to access water as it was being rationed because of limited supply.
“As the Gungwe community, we are relieved that we now have water and our animals also have water. Before the dam was rehabilitated, we were struggling to get water. The boreholes, which are close to the dam would run out of the water as the water table would be low.
“As a result, water was now being rationed and we were being given numbers to use as we collected the water. Each day, a certain number of people would be able to collect water. The following day, the collection process would continue from the last number. In most cases people would only be able to collect a bucket or two of water,” she said.
Ms Elizabeth Mathe, another villager, said they will be able to run horticulture projects now that they have reliable water. She said villagers have lost a lot of cattle due to the water challenges.
Ms Mathe said they are now able to collect water and perform other chores timeously unlike in the past. She said the process has now become easier as they are now collecting water from taps.
Mawaza village head, Mr Marshal Dube said rehabilitation of the dam has brought huge relief to the community. He said the water will breathe life into the community, ensuring food security and sustainability.
“This water has brought huge relief to the community. Our two schools Gungwe Primary and Secondary now have water, which means learners don’t have to carry water to the school and this has improved learning conditions. The teachers were also having challenges with water, which was disrupting them in performing their duties.
“The clinic was also facing water challenges, which were disrupting services. Villagers now have access to safe water. We would like to thank the Government for bringing us this development under the Community Share Ownership Trust initiative. As the community of Gungwe, we haven’t been left behind in development. We have been given the most precious asset, which is water, which will drive economic development,” he said.
Mr Dube said as the leadership, they will ensure that the water is put to good use for the betterment of communities in line with Vision 2030 of an upper middle-income society.
Gungwe Dam was rehabilitated at a total cost of US$316 667. It has a capacity of 800 000 cubic metres/800 mega litres of water.
The dam is already supporting a fishery project, which is targeting the youth.
Plans are underway to establish a large-scale irrigation scheme, and a tourist attraction site. The project involved re-establishing and widening the spillway channel with a levelled masonry weir, constructing a new dam embankment and rock toe and raising the dam embankment by 1,4 metres.
Gungwe Dam is expected to enhance food security and promote economic growth through agricultural activities and income-generating projects.
The dam was rehabilitated under the Community Share Ownership Trust initiative.
—@DubeMatutu
