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Mukudzei Chingwere
Herald Reporter
Major roadworks have been completed with others in progress, blocks of flats are being built in Harare and Gweru, mapping and plans for the upgrade of settlement in south Harare is in progress, and premises for small businesses were being built in Gweru, Chikomba and Gokwe Town.

Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa gave highlights of recent progress made on building up and repairing infrastructure by the Second Republic.

In the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programme 2 recently completed work now open to traffic included: rehabilitation and resealing of Masiyephambili Drive in Bulawayo Metropolitan, rehabilitation and resurfacing of the Seke Road dual carriageway in Harare Metropolitan, construction of Nyamataka Bridge and a high level dual carriageway structure in Manicaland’s Burma Valley, resealing of the Glendale-Chiweshe Road in Mashonaland Central, re-gravelling and culvert construction on 54km of the Battlefields-Turf Road in Mashonaland West.

This is in addition to earlier work this year under the same programme.

Minister Mutsvangwa highlighted the commissioning of the Kopa-Jopa Road in Chimanimani, Manicaland, by President Mnangagwa on November 10 and a number of other major projects which are nearing completion across the length and breadth of the country. But Cabinet has also noted with concern sabotage by some criminal elements.

“It has also come to the attention of Cabinet that some criminal elements are clandestinely damaging road works carried out under the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programme 2, apparently to discredit Government efforts,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“Law enforcement agents have therefore intensified efforts to arrest the culprits and bring them to book.”

Building had started on four blocks of 48 flats at Dzivaresekwa in Harare to address the accommodation needs of families or households on flood-prone settlements, with funding provided.

In Gweru the site has now been cleared at the former messengers’ camp in Senga for four blocks of 80 flats.

Contractors have been engaged for the eight blocks of flats to be constructed by the private sector at Dzivaresekwa and a similar number at Senga former messengers’ camp.

The town planning mess in Harare south is now being tackled, with the policy to regularise as much as possible, ensure that those hit by an impossibility of regularisation are only moved when the alternatives are ready, and the missing services and infrastructure are put in place.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the Zimbabwe National Geospatial Space Agency has completed the aerial mapping of Hopley in Harare South and is now finalising the mapping of Ushewokunze/Saturday Retreat.

Once the physical verification of the conflicted settlements has been completed, the process of putting up the missing services and amenities, such as power lines, roads, water and sewer reticulation, schools, clinics and shopping centres will commence.

“Just like in the case of Caledonia, properly settled households will be granted their due title deeds, while the improperly settled ones will only be relocated when the relocation sites have been completed.”

As part of the policy of ensuring small businesses had healthy and proper premises, Treasury had provided $150 million for workspace construction of decent work and market spaces for micro, small and medium enterprises.

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development has entered into agreements with Gweru City Council, Chikomba Rural District Council and Gwanda Municipality for the latest addition to the programme

“In Gweru, the Ministry is working with the City Council to construct four micro, small and medium enterprise factory shells, which will house a total of 54 businesses.

“In Gwanda, two vendor marts which will accommodate 56 enterprises in various trades, are being constructed in the central business district.

“In Chivhu, a factory shell with 60 bays is being constructed in Chikomba. The facility will house at least 200 SMEs undertaking manufacturing, processing, retailing and repairs.”