Suburban
RESIDENTS of Sunridge feel their Councillor, Denford Ngadziore, is not addressing their problems such as the poor state of roads and the water supply in the suburb.
Diana Nherera Suburban Reporter
The residents said Cllr Ngadziore, who represents Ward 16, was failing to address the problems of noise pollution from bars and bottle stores at Sunridge Shopping Centre, poor refuse collection and dilapidated roads.
They urged the City of Harare to patch potholes on feeder roads in the suburb as the roads are in poor state.
The residents made the appeal following the repairs done on Albury Road and at the corner of Albury and Parndon Roads recently. Workers carrying out the repairs used gravel to patch potholes on the roads.
A resident who lives along Glencairn Drive expressed concern over a huge pothole on that road which is damaging cars because drivers cannot spot it as it will be filled with water when it rains.
“Hopefully they will consider that as they do their work,” said the resident from Glencairn Drive.
Cllr Ngadziore said the delay in repairing Glencairn Drive was because council wanted to address the drainage system first.
But residents said water from the pothole is flowing into their car exhausts as they drive past.
Other residents asked Cllr Ngadziore if the gravel used to repair Albury Road and Parndon Road was only for main roads and what he has done with regards to repairing Glencairn Drive, Paarl Road and Kloof Road.
“My first letter to you councillor about a year ago. I asked for gravel and promised that the residents will work on it.
“I still request a load,” said one resident.
He urged council to put gravel for now as Glencairn Road does not have drainage issues.
“The drainage on Glencairn Drive is super perfect because you never see the drains blocked but the ditch in the middle of the road is the problem.
“I plead with you as an interim measure… just a load of gravel for now please,” he said.
Another resident from Glencairn Drive urged council to look for a temporary measure for that road as her car developed problems one day after driving into the huge pothole.
“I think a temporary measure for the huge pothole along Glencairn Drive of putting gravel just to fill up the pothole would make sense.
“There was a day when there were heavy rains and by the time I got home, my car was developing problems.
“That’s bad because now I need to manoeuvre around just to get home and with the rise in the crime rate, you try not to take long routes,” she said.
But Cllr Ngadziore insisted the municipality wanted to re-do the drainage system first.
“For Sunridge, the first process is to redo the drainage system then attend to the roads. Attending to roads without addressing the drainage system will not help anything. Gravel without addressing the drainage system will not help much. This is what we have agreed with the area road engineer,” he said.
The residents asked the councillor how long they should have to wait for that to happen.
“How many years must we wait?
“Councillor, kwedu tinoti ari kutonhorwa ndiye anodhonza gumbeze. (Councillor we say the one in trouble is the one who must find a solution).
“You don’t feel the pangs because you have never set foot at the places we are talking about.
“We as residents are going to find rubble and fill the roads and when drains are blocked, you and your engineer will fix and if you can’t, we will do it,” said one resident.
Another resident said she heard the same story of first addressing drainages five years ago and is wondering when action will be taken.
“I heard this over five years ago from the same engineer.
“I think let’s just fill the potholes because that is what is affordable.
“The drainage being addressed is pie in the sky,” she said.
Residents also urged council to patch Girton Road as it needs attention.
They said the municipality must make use of gravel as their roads are continuously damaged by heavy trucks driving through suburban roads.
Residents also asked why other parts of Harare almost always have water yet Sunridge gets water for a few hours.
“He (the councillor) has no power to change anything.
“The only power he has is to be on our side rather than tell us old wives’ tales,” said a resident.
Another resident said it was clear that there were no meaningful issues being addressed in Sunridge.
“How many times have we raised these issues?
“The Sunridge bars, refuse collection, its erratic,” she said.
Cllr Ngadziore said most households will receive water as long as the Sunridge water reservoir is full.
“Water rationing is the reason why water levels in the reserve tank will remain low,” he said.
