More than half of the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) vehicle and plant fleet is obsolete and needs replacing.
The local authority has a fleet of 336 vehicles and plant of which 51% has outlived its lifespan and is expensive to maintain.
The fleet includes heavy trucks, light trucks, styled utility vehicles (SUVs), station wagons, motorcycles, motorised and non-motorised plant and equipment.
This was revealed by the Director of Engineering Services Engineer Sikhumbuzo Ncube at the commissioning of new plant, machinery and vehicle fleet purchased by the local authority for US$1 120 351.64.
The new equipment includes a grader, front-end loader, excavator and nine vehicles.
Engineer Ncube said due to the state of its equipment, the local authority was forced to hire equipment at expensive rates.
“The current plant and equipment was procured in 1992, 1998 and 2015, as a result Council’s plant and equipment and is now obsolete, and this has adversely affected state of the City’s entire road network and the service delivery in general. Council has a fleet of 336 vehicles and plant of which 51% is obsolete and need phased replacement,” he said.
Engineer Ncube said in the past the local authority carried out construction works using its own equipment and plant supplemented by the hire of plant and equipment on an “as and when” requirement basis.
“This strategy was successful in the servicing of new estates, road maintenance works (reconstruction, reseals, overlays, regrading, regravelling and other ancillary works) and new road construction works. The “As and When” contracts for plant and equipment hire, and supply of construction materials allowed Council to maintain an optimum level of plant requirements.”
However, the non-availability of loans has made it difficult for the city to maintain its fleet.
“The acquisition of this equipment will result in the improvement in the quality and reliability of plant used for implementation of both new and routine maintenance programme,” he said.
