MARTIN MAWAYA
GWERU—Gweru Mayor Councillor Martin Chivhoko has warned the city’s engineering department that decisive action will be taken against officials who continue to fail in their duties, blaming poor supervision for worsening service delivery.
Addressing the ordinary council meeting last week, Chivhoko said council could not stand by while service delivery deteriorates, particularly in roads maintenance.
His remarks followed complaints from councillors over slow response from the sewer section and poorly coordinated road works.
Chivhoko ordered tighter monitoring of council tipper trucks amid allegations that some drivers are selling gravel to private contractors and delivering only two loads per day to the city for road maintenance.
“These practices are slowing down the road maintenance programme,” he said, urging newly appointed Town Clerk Livingston Churu to bring order to the management.
The mayor said recent rains had exposed serious weaknesses in the city’s road infrastructure, arguing that council must urgently address the problem.
“I would like to suggest that city management consider investing in climate-resilient road construction technologies and possibly explore public-private partnerships to fast-track the process,” he said.
Chivhoko, however, commended council for improvements in water supply, describing them as a testament to the team’s dedication.
He said refuse collection and waste management remained critical, urging council to go beyond collection and invest in education and awareness campaigns to reduce waste generation.
“We could explore partnerships with local businesses and schools to promote recycling initiatives,” he said.
Chivhoko also noted that the city had intensified greening of road corridors to beautify Gweru and promote a healthier environment.
Meanwhile, Gweru District Development Coordinator Tarisai Mudadigwa urged the local authority to provide clear timelines for its projects to allow for effective monitoring and tracking of progress.
