The Sunday News
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
A SECTION of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road near Masuwe River Bridge in the resort city has become a danger in waiting as one lane of the road is precariously hanging after rains washed its sides.
A news crew visited the portion of the road near Truck Stop turn off and noticed that the eastern lane has been barricaded. The same portion of the road was damaged by floods in December 2021 and was not repaired.
Zinara
The rains that fell across the country recently deepened the gulley that has formed from the roadside and it has washed the soil below the road leaving the tarred surface hanging precariously.
The section is a crossing point for storm drain pipes underneath and they have been exposed and broken by erosion, and a mere look at the road show that continued use might lead to collapse any time.
Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo said engagements had been made and he expects roads engineers to act fast.
“We have spoken to the provincial engineer because we can’t start running around when disaster happens. Once it collapses it will be costly,” he said.
Minister Felix Mhona
Hwange West Constituency MP Godfrey Dube said:
“The road near Masuwe River bridge is badly damaged and we have contacted the respective Government departments for speedy action and we are hoping for the best. We have spoken to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development (Felix Mhona) and we realised the Victoria Falls City Council had done a bill of quantities and sent to Zinara who had not submitted papers to Harare.
“We are also told that a private partner is willing to do corporate social responsibility work on the road and engagements are being done which we hope will be finalised soon to avert disaster,” said the MP. -@ncubeleon
