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Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
The District Development Fund (DDF) has intensified the rehabilitation of damaged roads in Matabeleland South province’s seven districts as the Government presses ahead with plans to improve the state of the road network countrywide.

DDF provincial coordinator, Mr Moment Malandu, said civil works moved a gear up last month after they received $40 million from central Government.

He said their target was to work on 179 km in Beitbridge, 63 km in UMzingwane, 109km in Gwanda, 136km in Insiza, 119km in Matobo, 127km in Bulilima and 75km in Mangwe districts.

Mr Malandu said they were expecting more funding and an additional grader to boost their capacity on the ground.

“We have already started work in all the seven districts and this is being done in a phased approach.

“Our target is to have covered most of the roads by the end of next month,” he said.

Mr Malandu said the scope of work involved spot gravelling, regrading, reshaping, culverts, piped drifts, and bridges construction.

He said they had requested $229 million from Government to service 808km.

Beitbridge has so far rehabilitated the Mapayi to Dite to Peters road (30km), Lutumba to Tongwe (10km) and reconstructed the Mapani Bridge which links the Mapani area and Tongwe.

“Civils works are ongoing on the Elangeni Bridge in Insiza, Moza to Pakama (13km) in Bulilima, Embakwe to Mhlotshana (9km) in Mangwe, Bada to Fumuguwe and Sithupa to Sigangatsha (29km) in Matobo, Masholomoshe to uMzingwane and Ntepe to Mbizo (48km) in Gwanda, and the Mawabeni to Kumbudzi and Irisivale (29km) in UMzingwane respectively,” said Mr Malandu.

He said they were hoping to get more equipment from their head office so that they may be able to deliver expeditiously. The organisation is relying on one grader that caters for the whole of Matabeleland South.

Mr Malandu said in the interim they are using contractors to carry out motorised grading of the roads.