Chitungwiza abandons road machinery

NEGLIGENCE by Chitungwiza municipal officials has led to the abandonment of critical equipment worth thousands of United States dollars at a local car park three years ago.

A pothole cutter and compactors were dumped at Macheka Grounds car park in St Mary’s by council’s roadworks team that was carrying out repairs along Rufaro Street sometime in 2017.

This was despite the fact that council’s head office, which has ample space for the equipment, is less than three kilometres away.

Interestingly, the team is now using picks and shovels to repair roads yet the state-ofthe-art machines are lying idle.

The owner of the car park, Mr Knocks Charakupa, is now demanding $13 000 from council for storage.

Mr Charakupa yesterday said council was dragging its feet on the payment of the storage fees.

“The council workers who brought the equipment asked me to look after it for two weeks and weeks turned into months and subsequently years.

“I approached council officials over the issue on several occasions, but no action was taken. I then moved the equipment to a safer place since I was afraid that it could be stripped of its parts.”

Mr Charakupa said some people told council management that the machines had been sold and they approached him.

“The mayor, audit team, security personnel came here and I showed them the machines and they indicated that they would collect them in February this year.”

Acting Chitungwiza town clerk Dr Tonderai Kasu said they were looking into the issue.