Bulawayo’s Ward 17 Councilor, Sikhululekile Moyo, is urging a revision of the city’s “Adopt a Road” policy following stalled progress by Hualin Quarry Mine’s road rehabilitation project in Pumula.
Residents have long complained about the poor condition of their roads, blamed on heavy trucks from the nearby quarry.
Hualin pledged to repair the damaged roads, but progress has been slow.
According to Councilor Moyo, the Chinese-owned purchased materials and handed them over to the local authority for rehabilitation.
“They haven’t done anything much, for now, what they have fulfilled is to buy us two jojo tanks, the first one is at Babambeni, the council hasn’t finished installing it as the council has to do that. They promised to adopt Ngena road which is now in a bad state, but the council said they are not allowed to rehabilitate it, they are supposed to hand over the material to the council, I am not sure what is delaying now,” she said.
“Hualin said there are some materials that they gave to the council, the council said they are waiting for machinery to resume work because if you donate any infrastructure to the council, council employees are the ones that have to work, the company is not the one that works.”
She added that companies that adopt roads should be allowed to work on them.
“It’s a policy that we have to relook, it’s a setback, if it was possible, people who adopt roads should be allowed to work on it and finish it,” said Clr Moyo.
Adding to the concerns, Councilor Moyo is also awaiting a report from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to determine the cause of cracks appearing in residential houses near the quarry.
“Residents are complaining about the cracks in their houses, we sent a report and I am sure the council wrote to the Ministry of Mines and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA). Last month, EMA called me saying they are doing an assessment, hoping that they will also give me the report so that I update residents.”
