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Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau

The one stop judicial centre in Chinhoyi, which is expected to open its doors next month, is almost complete, with contractors already putting final touches on the building.

When complete, the centre will house court rooms, offices, waiting rooms, a library, holding cells and space for the office of the Master of the High Court, a facility currently not available at Chinhoyi regional court.

A Chinese company, Hua Long Construction, is the main contractor for the new complex.

The contractor and sub-contractors were on Thursday working on the palisade wall, which was not there when Judicial Service Commission’s secretary, Mr Walter Chikwana visited two months ago.

Hua Long Construction deputy general manager, Mr Zhang said progress slowed when the number of people who were approved to work at the site was slashed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gloryridge Glass and Putty managing director, Mr John Nheta, whose company has been sub-contracted to glaze window panes at the structure, said work was progressing well.

“We are almost done with glazing the window panes save for those for the passages and roof. We will need at most two weeks for that,” he said.

Lathe and Patricks Engineering managing director, Isaac Tapfuma, whose company was also subcontracted for the same project said work on the main kitchen and other rooms, which was scheduled to be completed last month was delayed by late payment.

“We had a meeting with the client (JSC), the main contractor and Public Works Department and we were promised that payment will come through this week,” he said.

His company was expected to finish the remaining work in three weeks.

JSC’s spokesperson, Ms Rumbidzai Takawira, said they were still compiling reports from the contractors on the progress made so far, but expressed satisfaction with the work done.