The Sunday News
THE love for opaque beer has inspired dwellers of Ntola in Umzingwane District, Matabeleland South, to embark on a project to rehabilitate the How Mine-Doyana road because they want the truck carrying their favourite beer to start deliveries in their village instead of using a longer route.
For their effort, Ingwebu Breweries has already donated 100 litres of uMaGwebu (opaque beer) to Chief Gwebu’s subjects to quench their thirst after clearing the road.
Led by their councillor Jethro Moyo and village heads, the villagers have since May been clearing trees along the road which links them with neighbouring villages.
The road leads to How Mine and then Bulawayo.
Villagers are convinced that if transporters from Bulawayo make use of the road, it would significantly reduce the amount of money they pay for a journey to Bulawayo.
Some of the villagers have to walk a long distance to How Mine to catch transport to Bulawayo, which they say is cheaper for them as they end up paying $1 instead of $5 they pay when travelling via Mawabeni.
The villagers have since approached a number of companies as well as individuals to assist them with the project. Some of the companies they have turned to are How Mine and Ingwebu Breweries. While How Mine is said to have promised to assist, Ingwebu is yet to make a decision.
The villagers have given themselves a target of up to the start of the rain season to complete the project.
On Thursday last week, Ingwebu employees visited the village to see for themselves what the villagers were doing.
During the visit, the Ingwebu officials toured some sections of the road. Village head Mr Lazarus Nyathi revealed that they had been offered a grader by the Umzingwane Rural District Council to grade the road but the villagers would have to provide 1 800 litres of diesel.
Asked by an Ingwebu employee why they approached the company, Mr Nyathi said it was because of the good relations they enjoyed with the traditional beer-making company and because they did not want to be the last to take delivery of their favourite beer.
At the moment because of the bad state of the road, the Ingwebu delivery truck has to use a longer route which passes through Mawabeni.
“We love Ingwebu beer so much; we want their truck to come to our village first when they deliver their beer not pass by Mawabeni first before coming to us,’’ said Mr Nyathi.
He revealed that each homestead that stood to benefit from the road contributed $2 while a local businessman identified as Mr Mafu contributed $300. They also said Umzingwane legislator Cde William Dewa was fully aware and supportive of their efforts.
Ingwebu officials who visited the village donated 100 litres of their bulk beer which the villagers will consume after working on the road which they do twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays.
It is expected that the Ingwebu employees will take the request from the villagers to their superiors who would then make a decision.
