Contractors shortchange Harare
COMPANIES contracted by Harare City Council to rehabilitate the city roads under the $17 million Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme had no capacity to carry out the job, it has emerged.
Most roads in Harare are in a sorry state.
In some suburbs there are no roads to talk of.
Some of the contractors failed to meet deadlines and are closing some roads for a long time causing congestion and the city is considering cancelling their contracts.
Harare City Council is now set to engage the Standards Association of Zimbabwe to give a report on the quality of roads done by the contractors while efforts are underway to engage Bitumen World to extend its running contract.
According to recent minutes of the Environmental management Committee chaired by Councillor Herbert Gomba, concern was raised over the quality of roads done by contractors as well as material used on the roads.
“The contractors were taking long to complete a road and did not have timelines. They were also closing some roads causing congestion. Concern was further raised on whether council had quality control inspectors to inspect the quality of the roads being constructed,” read the minutes.
“The acting director of works (Eng M. Moyo) reported that the department had inspectors who inspected the quality of roads. The acting director of works further reported that major contractors did not have the capacity to do the work and their products were substandard.”
The only company which had quality products was Bitumen World.
The committee heard that the company already had an existing contract with council and it requested city officials to engage Bitumen World and inquire whether they could be engaged on another contract.
Arising from the discussion the acting town clerk Eng Hosiah Chisango reported that he would engage the Standards Association of Zimbabwe to give a report on the quality of roads done by the contractors and report to the committee.
“The committee also raised concern over the lack of coordination between Harare Water and Department of works on issues to do with trenching to repair water pipes and the repairing of road by Department of Works,” read the minutes.
“The acting town clerk (Eng Chisango) reported that he would organise a meet- ing between the two departments to look at the issue.”
Council resolved that the acting chamber secretary looks at the contracts between City of Harare and the road contractors and put time-lines or consider terminating the contracts where there is a breach.
It was further resolved that the director of works Eng Zvenyika Chawatama engages Bitumen World to see whether they can handle more work as they already have a contract with the city and that he constantly supervises the quality of roads and products used on the roads.