Suburban
THE City of Harare says it will investigate the alleged shoddy job that was done during the reconstruction of Dr Nyamutswa Road, which connects Sanganai Inn in Ward 16 and Westgate in Ward 41, by a private contractor.
Diana Nherera Suburban Reporter
This follows reports that the road has developed cracks in the middle near the AFM Church in the area.
A private contractor was given the contract to reconstruct Dr Nyamutswa Road under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) recently.
Motorists are complaining of blocked drains and left over gravel.
The motorists are also complaining of the absence of speed humps to deter drivers from speeding on Dr Nyamutswa Road.
The private contractor, Leengate, won the tender to rehabilitate Dr Nyamutswa Road, and duly carried out the reconstruction of the road.
“We will investigate and take necessary action,” said acting council spokesperson, Mr Innocent Ruwende in an interview.
At the weekend, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona also warned that contracted companies performing sub-standard work under the ERRP will be blacklisted after observing some of the poor work done by certain private contractors.
This week, Ward 16 resident Mr Denford Ngadziore told Suburban that part of the road that had developed cracks has now been repaired.
The cracks were reportedly caused by the underground water table.
“The contractor Leengate has corrected the problem,” said Mr Ngadziore, a former councillor for Ward 16.
He said blocked drains cited by motorists are being cleared.
Residents of Sanganai Inn near the newly built flats behind OK Supermarket were also having problems with blocked drains.
On humps, Mr Ngadziore said they are waiting for residents to sign a petition requesting the construction of speed humps, which must be submitted to council.
“Those are the ones required to write a petition to council.
“And when they write a petition council responds,” he said.
Mr Ngadziore said the residents are expected to sign the petition sometime this week.
Reconstruction of Dr Nyamutswa Road began in September last year under the Government funded ERRP in a development that brought relief to residents of a number of suburbs in Harare West which include Westgate, Area D, Bluff Hill, Madokero and Tynwald North.
For a long time, in numerous feedback meetings with City of Harare officials, residents of Westgate, Bluff Hill, Madokero and Tynwald North pleaded for Dr Nyamutswa Road to be prioritised for reconstruction.
“From many feedback meetings the road was submitted by residents as one of the roads in our constituency to benefit from the ZINARA funds through the Emergency Rehabilitation Road Programme ERRP,” read a notice sent to residents when repairs started on the road.
The City of Harare had also put the road under its reconstruction priority list.
Under the ERRP, Government has embarked on the repair of major roads in urban and rural areas.
This followed the declaration of most urban roads a state of disaster paving the way for the release of funding by Treasury to restore the roads.
A number of major roads in Harare including those in Harare West Constituency are among those earmarked for rehabilitation under the ERRP while some will undergo upgrading.
A junction upgrade is earmarked on Lomagundi Road (now called Nemakonde) and Harare Drive at a cost of US$48 800, 00 under the ERRP funding while filter lanes will be added to Kirkman Road (now called Solomon Mujuru) and Harare Drive and the widening of lanes on Kirkman Road at a cost of US$120 000.
Meanwhile council has said it will repair Hillmorton and Sherwood Roads up to Quendon Road following complaints from residents of Mabelreign that it had become impassible.
“Hillmorton Road is so bad.
“Can whoever is in charge of roads please fix the road at the two humps.
“Can they please sort out the potholes at the two humps and just patch all potholes along Hillmorton Road.
“Almost impassible at both humps going towards Quendon Road.
“There is a lot of traffic from Madokero and Tynwald using that road,” said a resident of Mabelreign.
Contacted for comment, Mr Nelson Sahondo from council’s department of works said the roads will be repaired but did not give a time frame.
