Suburban
The City of Harare says it will use gravel to patch potholes on roads that are in a bad state in Ward 7 following delays in securing materials needed for road repairs.
Diana Nherera
Suburban Reporter
The decision to resort to gravel follows delays in getting tar, which has seen many roads in the ward develop potholes. Ward 7 covers Avondale, Belgravia, Strathaven, Alexandra Park, parts of Mt Pleasant and parts of Gunhill.
Ward 7 Councillor Happymore Gotora said although the use of gravel is a temporary measure, it will help in making the roads trafficable.
He said he is worried about the current state of the roads as most of them are badly potholed making driving along the roads a nightmare for motorists.
“We are putting gravel on the roads, the reason being we have been waiting to get supplies of tar which is taking too long.
“So we have decided to just put some bit of gravel so that the roads become trafficable.
“The state of the roads are so bad and I am very much worried about the condition of the roads in the ward.
“So that is why we have decided to put some gravel so that whilst we are still waiting for tar, the roads will be passable unlike the state they were in before we put that gravel,” said Cllr Gotora.
He added:
“We intend on also putting gravel on all roads that are in a very bad state so that motorists would be able to drive in a safe way and also to avoid accidents and damage to vehicles as motorists drive around.”
Suburban observed gravel that has been used to patch potholes on some roads in the ward such as Sydney Malunga Road (formerly Argyle Road) in Avondale and part of Suffolk Road in Strathaven.
And roads that are currently in a bad state are the rest of Suffolk Road, King George Road, Natal Road and East Road to mention a few.
Several roads around Harare’s other northern suburbs are also full of potholes.
In June, the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) announced that it had disbursed $143,3 million for maintenance countrywide for the first and second quarter.
Beneficiaries of the funds are the Department of Roads in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, District Development Fund, urban and rural district councils.
Some of the roadworks were affected by the Covid-19 lockdown and most authorities have not exhausted disbursements of the first quarter.
Zinara public relations manager Mr Tendai Mugabe confirmed the development saying the $143,3 million is part of the $512 million that was set aside for this year.
Asked if there were any plans to review the disbursement budgets, Mr Mugabe said:
“Yes, we are cognisant of price volatility on the market and it is our desire to review disbursement budgets to road authorities, but that is subject to review of our road user fees tariffs by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development.
“We have made our submissions to the ministry and once they have been approved we will come up with a supplementary budget for disbursements.”
According to Zinara’s initial budget, the 60 rural district councils are supposed to get $117 760 000, urban councils $158 719 999, the Department of Roads $143 360 000 and DDF $92 159 999.
The quarterly funds cover routine maintenance, but the road administrator also provides funds for periodic maintenance and other emergency maintenance works as and when the need arises.
Out of the total amount budgeted, Zinara disburse a quarter of the total budget in advance for routine maintenance, which involves grass cutting, de-silting of drains, pothole patching, among others.
Mr Mugabe said that road authorities have to acquit those funds to get the next disbursement.
He said Zinara was committed to the development of a world class road network in line with Vision 2030 enunciated by President Mnangagwa that seeks to create an upper middle income economy.
He said Zinara now had a new executive and management keen to drive the national vision for national prosperity.
Zinara can also release funds in case of emergencies such as natural disaster as was the case with the Cyclone Idai that hit some parts of
