Govt acts on non-working road equipment
ABOUT 80 percent of the graders supplied to local authorities by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) in 2013 are not working and Government has instructed CMED to service them to ensure that they are deployed for road works across the country.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza told The Herald yesterday that road refurbishment, which falls under the infrastructure development cluster, was key in realising Vision 2030, which seeks to transform the country into an upper-middle income status in the next 11 years.
He said spare parts for the graders were available from the supplier and CMED should now work with local authorities to ensure that they procure the spare parts in the shortest possible time. From 2013, when the graders were supplied until May 2017, they had clocked 253 460 hours of service.
“Local authorities have been complaining that most of the graders given to them are not working,” Minister Matiza said.
“We are worried because 80 percent of those graders are not working, and as Government, we have directed CMED to look into this issue.
“Local authorities should now engage CMED to ensure that those graders are working. CMED has already serviced one grader in Matabeleland South which is refurbishing the Plumtree-Maitengwe Road.
“Spare parts for those graders are available from the supplier. These graders are critical equipment as far as the realisation of Vision 2030 is concerned. We cannot achieve meaningful economic development if we do not have good roads. We realised that there is several equipment with minor problems that is not being utilised. We have since directed that all equipment lying idle should be serviced and deployed for road works.”
Minister Matiza said the road works across the country were progressing well, with major economic highways being prioritised.
“Refurbishment of our road network is key and so far we have awarded the tender to dualise Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway to a South African company called Khato Civils and South Zambezi,” he said.
“They are now in the process of mobilising finances and we expect work to start soon.”
Minister Matiza said Government was in the process of refurbishing the Kanyemba-Mt Darwin Highway, which connects the region to Mozambique. We are only left with 34 kilometres to complete the road up to the Mozambican boarder,” he said. “It will connect to another road on the Mozambican side, which is also a big highway which meets regional standards.
“The road is expected to enhance trade and regional connectivity. We have several other roads that have been awarded to various companies which are already at various stages of mobilising financial resources.”
Minister Matiza said through funds from the Zimbabwe National Road Administration and other partners, Government was keen to refurbish all roads to meet world class standards.
He said Government, through his ministry, was working round the clock to refurbish all roads to ensure free movement of people and goods. Recently, President Mnangagwa commissioned the refurbished Tanganda-Ngundu Highway, which is also critical in linking the country’s eastern parts with South Africa.