Insiza North villagers are calling on the government to urgently construct a bridge in Nkone, Ward 19, following a fatal incident in which nine people died while attempting to cross the Shangamutope River.
Villagers say unsafe and deteriorating river crossings continue to endanger lives and restrict access to basic services, including schools, markets and health facilities.
A resident, Retired Lieutenant Jairos Moyo, said the condition of bridges and fords in the area has worsened over the years, despite previous attempts to address the problem.
“Some materials for the bridge were brought before, but the project was never completed and the materials were stolen,” he said.
The community is now appealing for formal government intervention, including proper engineering support, safety demarcations and completion of the stalled works. Residents say they are willing to provide labour and assist with clearing roads if authorities supply technical expertise and equipment.
“We cannot access services because of these bridges. We cannot cross to other areas to sell our produce,” Moyo said.
“Our bridges are not doing well. They do not have demarcation lines and if you do not know the place, you fall there.”
The danger is not limited to motorists. Hundreds of children are forced to cross rivers daily to attend school, villagers say.
“There are children who stay more than 40 kilometres away who cross that same river,” Moyo added.
He said the situation is even more precarious at the Mtshingwe River, which is wider and deeper, but must be crossed by pupils trying to reach the only secondary school in the area.
Poor infrastructure has also disrupted schooling, with many learners relying on local buses to travel long distances.
However, when the bus is full, pupils are left behind.
“They wake up at 3:00am and get to school around 10:00am. That means they will not have time to study and end up failing,” Moyo said.
Ward 19 councillor Thulani Sibanda said immediate efforts are focused on discouraging residents from crossing flooded rivers.
“The bridge was not the cause of the accident. It was negligence driving, and now that there are no floods people are safely using the bridge,” he said.
He added that the road falls under the responsibility of the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), which has pledged to complete a new bridge whose construction began in 2023.
“I have spoken to RIDA officials and they promised to start the building of a new bridge, which I believe is the best needed option,” Sibanda said.
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