By Beverly Bizeki
Masvingo City Council promised to continue leveling the large heaps of gravel placed on some roads around the city for road graveling a few weeks ago and assured residents of significant progress in two weeks.
Speaking to TellZim News, Masvingo City Mayor and Ward Four Councilor Alec Tabe said the project was in progress as the city had acquired graders from Masvingo Rural District Council (RDC) for use in the project.
“We have embarked on a road rehabilitation programme to resuscitate some of our road networks. Most of our graders were down that’s why progress slowed down but we engaged Masvingo RDC for assistance and these are now in place and the gravelling commenced on May 28, 2024.
‘We are hoping that in the next two weeks we will have covered the bulk of the areas we are targeting,” said Tabe.
Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Association (MURRA) Spokesperson Godfrey Mutimba said the heaps of gravel had negative effects on residents and implored council to speed up the project for swift traffic movement in areas where the project is being undertaken.
“That is a sign of dereliction of duty and negligence on the part of council, they are not serious nor concerned about the effects of those heaps of gravel on motorists and pedestrians. In some cases they cause accidents and we demand that they move fast in regravelling the roads so that traffic moves swiftly. After all, they must complete projects whenever they commence, we need seriousness from them,’ said Mutimba.
The first nine roads that will be re-graveled are Zviitirei, Manhede Street, Mushuku Street, KMP Main Road, Samson Mundondo, Mbudzi Main Road, 4.1 Barrack Roads, S. Makuyana and J Chauke roads.
Council has since placed heaps of gravel on some roads for graveling and residents have been complaining over disturbances in traffic movement.