The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Business Reporter
ONE of Bulawayo’s biggest and longest serving public transport operators, Tshova Mubaiwa Transport Co-operative will soon start the construction of its estimated $20 000 fuel storage and distribution facility as it moves to improve its efficiency in its service delivery.
Tshova Mubaiwa Co-operative chairman Mr Atlas Moyo said preparations for the setting-up of the fuel storage and filling station at its commuter omnibus bay at Belmont Industrial area are at an advanced stage.
“Preparations for the construction of the filling station are at an advanced stage with the two storage tanks ready for installation. Our environmental consultant is now in the process of working on an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report,” said Mr Moyo.
He said the filling station would play a pivotal role in improving service delivery.
“The estimated cost of the project is over $17 000 and we decided to invest in putting up the facility after we realised the chaotic nature motorists are subjected to when there are shortages and it will ensure constant supplies of fuel to our fleet as well as enhancing consumption monitoring systems of our vehicle. Over and above all the filling station will play a big part in ensuring efficiency service delivery of our commuters,” said Mr Moyo.
The association’s environmental consultant, Environmental Guardians Services (EGS) said it would start EIA stakeholders’ consultations this week.
“We are now at the consultation stage. We are done with the prospectors which is a document to show the intention by the proponent which is used by the Environmental Management Agency as a screening tool to show if a project needs an EIA and this particular project needs one,” said EGS senior environment consultant, Mr Michael Montana.
The fuel storage tanks were acquired from a United States of America firm, Western Global.
Western Global is an international leading provider of portable tanks and dispensing equipment for the safe storage and handling of fuels and other liquids.
“Operations will involve the setting-up of the state-of-art fuel storage and distribution facility at the project site. Western Global technologies spearhead the designing, manufacturing and storage solutions that increase productivity and efficiency in range of industries and applications all over the world. The technology involves containerised fuel tanks.
“These are self-contained tanks with optional dispensing, metering and fuel management. The technology has several accreditations from several organisations but most notable is the UL142 approval. This quality standard ensures every tank is manufactured to high specifications that make it safe for storage of fuel,” said Mr Montana.
He said the self-contained tanks would be above ground, and will come with custom-built pumps.
Tshova Mubaiwa Transport Co-operative was established in 1983.
