$95 million availed for Mat South road maintenance programme

GOVERNMENT has released $95 million for Matabeleland South Province’s road maintenance programme to improve the province’s road network, a project that will run up to the end of the year.

Under the programme, the District Development Fund (DDF) will also construct three bridges and three piped drifts.

The four-month infrastructure development initiative that is in line with Vision 2030 - designed to transform the country into a middle-class economy - is solely funded by Government.

The vision entails incremental improvements on diverse sections of the economy that will eventually dovetail into the national masterplan to improve people’s livelihoods.

Speaking at the commissioning of Masholomoshe-Umzingwane Road in Ward One in Gwanda on Monday by Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs

Abednico Ncube, which marked the launch of the programme, DDF Matabeleland South provincial coordinator Mr Moment Malandu said the programme will run from August 1 to December 31.

“The main objective of the project is to maintain the entire DDF road network in Matabeleland South Province so that it becomes trafficable and also construct three bridges and three piped drifts. The total cost of the project is $95 million which we received from Government.

“Under the programme we will conduct motorised grading on 967 kilometres at a cost of $30 million, towed grading on all DDF roads with a total network of 2 484 at a total cost of $25 million as well as construct three bridges and three piped drifts at a cost of $40 million. So far, we have started motorised grading in five districts in the province. We have also started towed grading across the whole province. We started on August 1 and this programme will run till the end of the year,” said Mr Malandu.