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Africa Moyo recently in MABALE, Matabeleland North
VILLAGERS in Matabeleland North have described the construction of Lake Gwayi-Shangani and the filling of the lake as transformational, as it will eliminate water shortages and bring opportunities such as agriculture, tourism and electricity generation once completed.

Presently, construction of the dam has created employment for many people from the community, while local businesspeople, especially in the Lupote and Mabale areas, say they are recording considerable business mainly during month-ends driven by salaries and wages earned by those employed at the dam.

The construction project has seen 610 people being recruited, 50 of them by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) and 560 by contractor China International Water and Electric Corp (Pvt) Limited.

On completion of the dam, Lake Gwayi-Shangani, which has a catchment area of 38 000 square metres extending up to Gweru, will become the third largest inland water body after Tugwi Mukosi and Lake Mutirikwi, both in Masvingo Province.

Situated about 6,5km from the confluence of Gwayi and Shangani rivers, the concrete gravity arch dam was designed and engineered by Zinwa and has a gross capacity of 691,140 mega litres.

The dam is a roller compacted concrete gravity dam, implying that it depends on its weight for stability. It will have an ogee-shaped overflow, with a 200 metre-long spillway while the maximum depth of water would be 59 metres.

The scope of the project entails construction of Lake Gwayi-Shangani under Phase One, laying of a 252km pipeline from the dam to Bulawayo under Phase Two and lastly the pipeline from the Zambezi River to Lake Gwayi-Shangani to ensure the people of Bulawayo get water continuously.

The idea came after engineers indicated that due to population growth in Bulawayo and the rise in demand for water by the manufacturing sector in the city, and for irrigation purposes, the water from Lake Gwayi-Shangani alone may not be enough in about 20 years’ time.

Chief Dingani-Nelukoba, who lives in Mabale, about 20km from the construction site, said: “I am happy and my community is happy with the construction of the dam. They have covered reasonable ground and construction is about to be completed.

“As long as the lake is full, we will not have water problems again in my area and many others all the way down to Bulawayo.

“I am told they have a plan to get some more water using a pipeline from the Zambezi River, so in times when there is not much water in the lake, the pipeline can fill up the lake and no one experiences water challenges.”

Chief Dingani-Nelukoba has every reason to be happy with the construction of the dam, as it had taken far too long to start, let along complete since it was first conceptualised in 1912.

Construction appeared destined to finally begin in 2003 when the contract was awarded to China International Water and Electric Corporation. Then the dam project was being run by the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Trust, but nothing meaningful happened due to lack of funds.

Serious work only resumed in 2017 and the Second Republic says it is determined to complete the project, which is one of the huge infrastructure projects that are crucial for the attainment of Vision 2030 of an upper middle income society.

Construction of the dam has so far seen concrete for 31 metres of the targeted 72 metres being poured. The contractor has a capacity of constructing four metres per month, across the entire dam wall whose crest length is 361 metres.

At the bottom, Lake Gwayi-Shangani has a width of 24 metres, but it narrows as it goes up and when it gets to a height of 72 metres, the top-most part will have a width of 12 metres.

When The Herald visited the construction site recently, 150 employees and eight different vehicles including tippers, a dozer and excavator, were on top of the dam’s wall performing various tasks, as the contractor seeks to conclude the project on time.

Work is done day and night under

massive flood lights.

At least 15 000 cubic metres of concrete — translating to about 1 500 tipper trucks — are used every day. Similarly, 150 tonnes of cement and 150 tonnes of flyash are also used, illustrating the sheer size of the dam.

To minimise stoppages and reduce costs, the contractor mines stone for the concrete nearby, and crushes it at the two plants on site.

The crushing plants have capacity to crush 250 cubic metres an hour, while a concrete mixing plant mixes roughly 200 cubic metres per hour.

There are also two plants to sieve river sand, and a steel fabrication plant where they assemble the modest power generation plant that is large enough to supply the immediate area.

Chief Dingani-Nelukoba said he was impressed by the progress at the dam.

“They are working very well; the Chinese are up to it, President Mnangagwa is up to it and by next year, we should be benefiting from the water after construction has been completed,” he said.

“People are getting jobs at the project, from Binga, Tsholotsho and as far as Harare. The Chinese are employing everybody.”

Chief Dingani-Nelukoba said he was assured that people living close to the lake and the 252km pipeline that will move water to Bulawayo, will get irrigation water, a development that will transform their livelihoods.

“Apart from irrigation, people will benefit from fishing, boat cruising and more importantly, electricity,” he said.

Chief Dingani-Nelukoba saluted President Mnangagwa for initiating a number of projects across the country, including construction of roads, houses and dams.

“The President is not just talking, but he is acting and he follows up on his own to assess progress. That is good,” he said.

An engineer working at the dam and lake area, who cannot be named for professional reasons, said designs were “underway to ensure irrigation projects are rolled out to communities”.

“This project is transformational in that it will not only provide drinking water mainly to Bulawayo, but it will support irrigation schemes, fisheries, wild animals will also get drinking water, boost tourism and generate 10MW of electricity,” said the engineer.

A community member, Mr Muhambi Bernard Sibanda, hopes that people in the area will get water from the lake and change their lives.

“The lake project is a good initiative,” he said. “Young boys from the area that are not lazy have been employed and more continue to get jobs.

“When the dam is completed, we will derive many benefits from this project. We hope to be allocated water pipes so that we can get water to drink, for our livestock, and for irrigation, as you can see that this place is dry.”

Some workers at the lake said they were happy to get jobs, with a security officer, Mr Alexander Sibanda from the Lupote area, saying he started work in January, but has already built a one-roomed house and roofed it, and bought blankets and other necessary items from his earnings.

“Now, I am saving money so that I go and get a driver’s licence,” he said.

Mr Damian Sakhala from Chinhoyi said he was employed in January and was happy to be earning some money that he now uses to take care of himself.

Mr Joshua Sibanda, who lives near the lake and is responsible for directing tippers carrying concrete, said he was recruited last month and has found it worthwhile.

“It is not easy to be sitting at home when others are at work,” he said.

“Now I am taking care of myself and the family from the money I get here.”

Mr Prosper Sibanda, who hails from the Dinde area towards Hwange, has been at work for the past three months.

He said he plans to buy goats and other things he never hoped to get in life from his earnings.