Gwayi-Shangani Dam project on course
THE $120 million Gwayi-Shangani Dam, one of the national projects being undertaken under Zim-Asset, is expected to be complete in the next two years.
The project was mooted in 1912 and Government is keen to see its completion as it is key to the development of the Matabeleland region.
Briefing Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko on the progress made towards the completion of the project at his Munhumutapa Offices last week, managing director of China International Water and Electric Corporation Mr E Shangfa said they expected to start construction of the dam wall early next year.
“Our company has been in Zimbabwe since 2000 and we started work in 2004,” he said. “We have been facing financial challenges, but we now expect to finish the project in the next two years. We expect to do most of the work next year.”
Mr Shangfa promised to give VP Mphoko monthly progress reports on the project.
He said their major setback was the unavailability of foreign currency to import parts for equipment.
This year alone, Mr Shangfa said, they required between $8 million and $12 million to import equipment and to pay the project designer, Yellow River Consultancy of China.
VP Mphoko urged the company to expedite the construction work, saying the project had taken too long to complete.
“That project started in 1912 and nobody has completed it,” he said. “That project means a lot to the development of that region when finished.
“That is a national project and the President is following its development closely. The project is in his heart and he will be happy if you complete it. It is one project that is worrying him a lot.”
VP Mphoko took note of the challenges the MEDIA organisations should embrace digital platforms to expand their markets and maximise profits following a sharp rise in the number of people using mobile phones, a Chinese media expert has said.
Speaking during a seminar for Zimbabwean journalists in Jinhua in China recently, the head of the College of Creative Culture and Communication at China’s Zhejiang Normal University (ZNU), Professor Tian Zhongchu, said the traditional media should embrace technology to avoid extinction following the advent of social media.
“Of late the mainstream media throughout the world has experienced drastic changes in as far as the consumption of news is concerned. There has been a sharp rise in mobile internet and an increase in the number of netizens (internet users) hence the need to move with times by embracing digital platforms to reach out to audiences,” he said.
“There is a fast global technological development and the media should improve coverage of information through using digital platforms if they are to survive in the era of social media.”
Prof Tian said the number of netizens in China had reached 720 million in June this year translating to 96,3 percent compared to 95,1 percent in December last year.
He however, said there was a need for social media to be regulated. In China it is a punishable offence to violate the country’s laws using social media platforms. The Chinese government through the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) controls company was facing and promised to look at them with a view to ensuring acceleration of the construction work. With a holding capacity of 635 million cubic metres of water, the Gwayi-Shangani Dam will be the largest water body in Matabeleland North province.
On completion, the dam, which is on the confluence of Gwayi and Shangani rivers, is expected to bring about socio-economic transformation for surrounding communities and other parts of the drought prone Matabeleland North province. The dam will also have the capacity to generate six megawatts of electricity.
The resumption of work at the dam and its subsequent completion are among the key benchmarks Government set for the Infrastructure and Utilities Cluster under Zim-Asset.
Media organisations urged to embrace technology
both print and electronic media.
Zimbabwe is also in the process of finalising the Computer Crime and Cyber Crime Bill to deal with crimes on the Internet and other electronic platforms. The proposed law, which will be tabled before Parliament soon, comes against the backdrop of some Zimbabweans locally and abroad who are using the Internet to communicate subversive material which seeks to unconstitutionally remove the Government through violence.
Prof Jing Xiuming, also from ZNU’s School of Cultural Creativity and Communication, said the Western media has misconceptions about the China-Africa relations.
“The communication between China and Africa has always been sincere and responsible. The Western media portray a bad image about Africa and there are also misconceptions about our relations with Africa, particularly the win-win cooperation between China and the continent. In the midst of this public opinion, having a voice is important for the new era mainstream Chinese and African media,” he said.
Prof Tian said movies have a strong effect on the lives of people hence the need to use the media to protect the existing ChinaAfrica relations.
“The Western media have a hidden agenda because their cultural view is different from ours and they feel we are a threat because of our development. In fact, it is a great mystery to the West how China developed into the world’s second powerful economy in the last 30 years,” he said.
China offers digital services in film and video production in several African countries as part of strengthening relations. — @mashnets