GOVERNMENT’S intervention has seen the completion of rehabilitation of three major roads in Bulawayo, with the local authority however, noting a number of challenges compounding works to revive the city’s deteriorating road network.
Bulawayo’s road network has over the past months been the subject of condemnation from government, motorists and residents in the city. Majority of the road network in the city is littered with potholes. The situation has been further compounded by the rainy season that has resulted in the increase of potholes on the city’s roads.
Recently the government pointed out on the need to urgently address to the rehabilitation of Luveve Road in the city with the Zimbabwe National Road Authority (Zinara) committing to the provision of funds for the exercise.
The government is also providing funding for roads rehabilitation through the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programmer and also Devolution funds. In his end of year report by Bulawayo mayor, Councillor Solomon Mguni he noted that the current state of the road network is due to deferred maintenance programs which he attributed to funding constraints.
He said the council’s plan is to increase roads in good condition by 15 percent (360 km) in the next five years, and a minimum level of investment of US$15 million per annum is required. The City’s road implementation strategy for the year 2022 was to focus on existing road network to try and address safety concerns, preserve those roads in fair condition and keep City’s roads trafficable.
“Currently road maintenance allocation levels per year are approximately US$1.2million (Zinara) and US$0.5million (BCC). This translates to (US$1.7million) 11 percent of the City’s road maintenance needs which is well below the annual road maintenance requirements. Rehabilitation prioritisation on the road network was such that maintenance programmes would earmark public transport routes, arterials, major collector roads, roads leading to institutions and the CBD and finally local streets. Local streets maintenance, mainly road re-grading and re-gravelling, was to be outsourced at levels dependent on availability of funds,” said Clr Mguni.
Of the roads that were taken over by the government and have the rehabilitation works completed are Siyephambili Drive (6.5 kilometres), Njube Main Road (1.5 km) and Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue (1.2km). 12th Avenue Extension (7km) is 60 percent complete, Nketa Drive (2.1km) is 50 percent complete while Fife Street (2,7km) is 15 percent complete.
Other roads which the government is soon expected to move into are; Matopos Road, Leopold Takawira, Old Khami Road, Khami Road, Plumtree Road, Intemba Road, Luveve Road, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street, Lobengula Street, Cecil Avenue, Victoria Falls Road and Gwanda Road.
“The year was characterised by the delay in payments, and unavailability of road repair materials. This was further compounded by the obsolete plant and equipment which was constantly down thereby adversely affecting both the planned and routine maintenance programmes. For 2023 the local authority aims to reduce road accidents by five percent, to increase the roads in good condition by 1.5 percent, to reduce plant and equipment down time by three percent and to increase the City’s lighting levels by 10 percent by December 2023,” said Clr Mguni.
Regarding the parking management system being implemented in partnership with Tendy Three Investments, the mayor revealed that to date 3 422 out of the 7 200 parking bays in the Central Business District were now under the system.
In terms of the city’s financial status, Clr Mguni revealed that cash flow challenges hindered council from paying its trade creditors on time thereby negatively affecting relations with suppliers. He said failure to pay suppliers within 30 days has seen an increase of suppliers who are now demanding cash up front as a result, stock levels of critical input materials are low as some suppliers are refusing to provide these on credit.
“Council continues to strive to minimise inconveniences to its valued suppliers and other creditors, by sharing the limited cash resources. Due to the current economic environment the City’s finances are not healthy and negatively affect the performance of the organisation. Strategies to reduce the high figure of debtors so as increase cash inflows are being vigorously pursued in an effort to improve service delivery,” said the mayor.
Clr Mguni further revealed that regarding the contentious Egodini rehabilitation project, the contractor was 25 percent into completing phase 1A of the project, meaning the reopening of the project will be further delayed.
Phase 1A includes the commuter rank, trader’s stalls, public ablutions, offices/workshop, filling station and storage facilities.
“On completion Phase 1A is expected to have 1100 traders’ stalls which will go a long way in the provision of trading spaces. This Phase will also cater for all local commuter transport plying the various routes within the City of Bulawayo, whilst intercity buses will be catered for in Phase 1B. Servicing with sewer, water and storm drains is about 90 percent complete. Overall construction of structures in phase 1A is about 25 percent complete. Challenges that the developer has sighted as having delayed project implementation are the Covid-19 pandemic and erratic supply of materials,” said the mayor. – The Sunday News
