Faith Duri
Masvingo City Council is struggling to keep up with service delivery needs due to a depleted fleet, with a total of 17 vehicles currently not operational as they have broken down.
A Public Works and Planning Committee meeting dated May 09 2022’s meeting revealed that the local authority is struggling, especially in the health and engineering departments.
According to the minutes of the meeting on the health department under the section of clinics there are two vehicles that are not operational which include Mazda Ambulance AAE 5721 undergoing panel beating and brake repairs and VW Ambulance ADB 4123 awaiting engine replacement.
Under refuse compactors there are two vehicles that are not functioning namely UD80 Compactor AAE 9043 whose repair is still awaiting delivery of a new engine and A UD80 Compactor AAE 5998 which is undergoing injector pump repairs.
In the engineering department, 13 cars are not operational under the road section which includes UD CPB 12 Tipper AAE 5780 truck not operational and undergoing overheating repairs, UD CPB 12 Tipper AAR 5781 truck undergoing engine overhaul and suspension repairs, UD CPB 12 Tipper AAE 5722 truck is awaiting new starter motor, Changlin Grader is awaiting spares for transmission repairs, Changlin TLB machine is awaiting the hydraulic pump from China, Dynapac Roller the machine is not operational and is awaiting quotations for new hub.
Of the 13 vehicles, four of them are going under maintenance which include Mazda T35 AAE 5777. The truck is not operational awaiting brake components, Nissan NP300 AAE 8882 not operational, Nissan NP300 AAE 7388 the vehicle is not operational, Nissan NP300 AAE 7389 vehicle is not operational and undergoing clutch system repairs at Amtec.
There is also a Mitsubishi L200 ABW 0755 for sewage works which is not operational and is undergoing engine overhaul and under municipal police operations there is a Mitsubishi L200 AAE 5699 which is not functional and is awaiting timing belt.
Lastly under parks, there is a New Holland Tractor AAE 5797 which is not operational awaiting engine overhaul.
These vehicles that are down are reducing the service delivery progress as some of these trucks are used to collect refuse in the city.
Council has been collecting refuse with the trucks they hired from other organizations and sometimes in high density areas they will collect it after weeks leaving heaps of garbage uncollected leading to unauthorized dumping sites in residential areas.
Council has 46 vehicles including the 17 vehicles that are not functioning, with only 28 vehicles being functional.
