Traditional leaders in Tsholotsho and Nyamandlovu have welcomed the rehabilitation of the Bulawayo-Tsholotsho Road, saying its poor condition has made travel costly, time-consuming and difficult for communities.
The 90km road rehabilitation project, recently launched, is expected to improve connectivity between Bulawayo, Nyamandlovu and Tsholotsho while easing the movement of people, agricultural produce and goods.
Chief Gampu said the poor state of the road had forced motorists to use longer alternative routes.
“This road starts from Tsholotsho going to Bulawayo, my people use this road. I am happy that this road is being rehabilitated, it was affecting us a lot,” he said.
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“You would take seven hours to travel a distance of 7km, and we had to divert to use via Solusi road when going to Tsholotsho.
“I am happy when it’s like this, I am happy our people and the government are helping us to have development, we really appreciate.”
Chief Deli of Nyamandlovu said the road’s condition had also contributed to frequent vehicle breakdowns and longer travelling times.
“We are happy because it’s really hard to travel on this road. Vehicles would lose ball joints due to potholes but now that this is happening, we think we are blessed,” he said.
“We will now spend 45 minutes from here going to Bulawayo than spending two hours on the road.”
Chief Siphoso of Tsholotsho said the rehabilitation would reduce the additional distance and travelling time caused by the use of alternative routes.
“When I look at this road, it will make it easier for our people to travel because we were now using a different route where we were travelling an extra 50km,” he said.
“I am at the end of Tsholotsho, I would leave Bulawayo in the morning around 10am and only get home around 10pm, so this is a beautiful thing for us.”
Chief Siphoso appealed to people with financial resources to support the rehabilitation programme so the work could extend to Tsholotsho.
“I am appealing to all our brothers who have money to also come forward and assist us so that our dream comes true and we grade this road up to Tsholotsho,” he said.
Chief Mahlathini called on communities along the road to contribute towards the project, saying their involvement would give residents a sense of ownership.
“I want to appeal that you organise communities so that they contribute towards this job. This job will be easy to all of us and when you use this road one day going to Bulawayo you will be bragging that you rehabilitated this road and that would make you very proud,” he said.
“May all communities approach their village heads and contribute, be it a US$1 or US$2, and you contribute through your village head and you bring your money where it is supposed to be kept and you are recorded as a village.”
The traditional leaders said the road was important to the socio-economic development of Tsholotsho and surrounding communities because it provides a key link with Bulawayo.
They said better road access would improve access to markets, health facilities, schools and other essential services while reducing vehicle maintenance costs.
The comments come as the Tsholotsho Road Rehabilitation Initiative (TRRI), a community-led programme, spearheads the rehabilitation of the 90km road in partnership with the government and other stakeholders.
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