Africa Moyo
Deputy News Editor
The Hwange Local Board has received $112 million under devolution funds in the last three years and channelled the funds towards various developmental projects, including the construction of a medical incinerator and an Early Childhood Development (ECD) block.
The Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa started releasing devolution funds in 2019, to enable provinces and districts to swiftly attend to issues that affect them on a daily basis such as construction of bridges, road repairs, garbage collection, construction of schools or classroom blocks and clinics, so as to improve service delivery without waiting for Central Government.
In a recent interview, Hwange Local Board town secretary Mr Ndumiso Mdlalose said in 2020, they got $3 million, in 2021 the figure rose to $37 million and last year, it jumped to $72 million.
He said in 2020 to 2021, some of the projects they embarked upon included the erecting a fence at Empumalanga Clinic, installation of a standby water supply facility at Empulamanga Clinic, construction of a medical incinerator at Empumalanga Clinic, construction of an ECD block at Nechibondo Primary School.
The block was also fully furnished and fenced using devolution funds.
Last year, the Local Board procured a 10-tonne tipper truck and a tractor, both of which are helping them in improving service delivery.
“Our plan for devolution this year is to get plant and equipment, which will help us in reducing costs going forward, when we undertake major projects such as road rehabilitation.
“We have noted that the biggest cost is plant and equipment, so we want to procure JCBs, excavators tractors and bulldozers in preparation for massive developments that we want to embark on,” said Mr Mdlalose.
They also want to procure service vehicles so they can move around freely assessing developmental projects they are implementing.
In the first half of this year, said Mr Mdlalose, they plan to complete high impact projects that are at various stages of completion, so that communities can start to use them and enjoy the benefits.
Infrastructure development is consistent with the Second Republic’s efforts of transforming the country into an empowered upper middle class society by 2030.
One of the most urgent projects underway is the construction of a flea market, as the Hwange Local Board seeks to remove vendors from the streets, backyards and other undesignated points.
Construction of the flea market, which will have ablution facilities and a restaurant, started in February. On completion, it will accommodate up to 150 traders.
But to demonstrate the desire by Hwange traders to operate from designated areas, over 300 applications have so far been filed by people seeking operate legally.
In fact, such overwhelming response has motivated the Hwange Local Board to construct similar markets across the area under their jurisdiction.
A by-law has been crafted to outlaw trade from undesignated places but Mr Mdlalose said as a considerate council, they do not want to start implementing the regulation until facilities have been put in place.
The flea markets will also become a source of funds for the Local Board, as users will pay for their cubicles.
Hwange Local Board has embarked on a number of developmental projects as it seeks to transform their area.
Some of the projects include the construction of what will be the only library in the area.
It is being constructed under partnership between the Local Board and a local company, South Mining.South Mining is doing the project as part of its corporate social responsibility programme. The superstructures for the library and the caretaker’s house have been completed and workers were recently working on the floor while others were plastering some outstanding areas.
The library was constructed on 1 800 square metres of land.
In 2018, the Local Board also sold about 39 194,8 hectares of land to FBC Building Society for the construction of 764 houses and a residential flat.
The other portion of land has been set aside for a school, commercial mall, a small to medium enterprises industrial site, a church, two crèches and an open land stands.
Land for the first school of hospitality and a first teacher training college has also been identified and set aside.
Work is underway to start constructing the two important institutions, following President Mnangagwa’s directive.
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