Kwekwe dumps solar street lights project
KWEKWE City Council has shelved its solar-powered street light project after it failed to raise the funds required for the project.
Late last year, Kwekwe City Council announced plans to raise $200 000 for the installation of solar-powered street lights to cut down on its electricity bill.
The council proposed that each of the 25 000 households in the city would contribute 50 cents per month, but it failed to reach its target.
Speaking during a full council meeting on Tuesday, Kwekwe City Treasurer Ms Rejoice Maweni said the project had stalled due to the unavailability of funds.
“We have failed to raise the targeted funds for the project because people are not forthcoming with their contributions,” she said.
Ms Maweni said council was contemplating channelling the $52 000 raised to date to repairs of the available electricity powered-street lights.
“The money we have raised for the project so far is insignificant because it is enough for only three or four solar-powered street lights.
“Instead, we were thinking of using the money to repair the existing power lights. At least, we will cover more ground,” she said.
She said the temptation was to use ratepayers’ money to fund the project, a move the local authority wanted to avoid by all means. Ms Maweni said some lights were recently repaired, but these were damaged by cars that rammed into them.
“In fact, we had covered so much ground in the repairs along the CBD and Gweru Road, but we are facing serious challenges from vehicles that are damaging the lights through accidents,” she said.
Kwekwe Mayor Councillor Matenda Madzoke, however, urged council to stick to the plan saying it was ideal to install a few solar-powered street lights than repair old electric powered tower lights.
“I suggest we proceed with purchasing the few solar-powered lights because we are assured of less vandalism and they are durable. If we buy three this month, maybe four the following month, it will sustain us,” he argued.