The acting Chief Mabhikwa of Lupane is embarking on a programme to create awareness among community leaders of the development projects being undertaken in Matabeleland North.
John Khumalo was appointed the acting chief following the death of Chief Mabhikwa born Vusumuzi Khumalo in a car accident in May last year.
The government is embarking on various multimillion-dollar development projects in the province which include the Gwayi-Shangani dam, the Hwange Power Station expansion project, Lupane provincial hospital and Lupane State University.
In an interview with CITE, acting Chief Mabhikwa said community leaders must be aware of development projects in the area.
“We started off with visiting the St Luke’s business centre, and a resettlement area in ward 23. We also went with village heads to the Gwayi-Shangani dam site,” he said.
“We cannot talk about development when individuals are not developed, some of the village heads had not even visited some of these projects and were not even aware of the magnitude of the work taking place there.”
Acting Chief Mabhikwa said the village heads are using their own resources to fund the site visits.
“We are going to extend the program to the East where there are 161 village heads, they are using their own resources but we want them to see the development, we are targeting the Gwayi-Shangani, the provincial hospital, Bubi irrigation, the University (LSU), Welshman Mabhena complex, we want them to see all this.”
