The Sunday News
Nkosilathi Sibanda, in Maphisa
MATOBO Rural District Council is faced with an uphill task to repair more than 10 schools whose infrastructure was destroyed by hailstorms last week, as the local authority aims to have the schools ready by the start of the new term next year.
The hailstorms blew classroom and staff quarters’ roof tops, and water storage tanks, a situation that also had a negative impact on the smooth running of local and national end of year examinations. Already, a taskforce led by the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) is mobilising resources to aid in the rebuilding of the damaged infrastructure. The cost of the repairs could not be immediately established.
In ward one, a health facility, Sankonjana Clinic had its roof blown away. A shelter that houses expectant mothers was the most affected. Among the schools that are set for a major uplift include Lubhangwe Primary and Secondary, Sankonjana Primary, Emhlohlweni Primary, Gwandavale, Silawa, Dzembe, Mount Edgecombe, Nyashongwe, Marinoha and Nqindi Annex secondary schools.
Although the CPU is working on all modalities to fix the damage, the RDC has made a commitment to avail resources to make sure learning is not affected in the coming schools’ term.
In an interview last Thursday, Matobo Rural District Council chief executive officer, Mr Elvis Sibanda said they have teams on the ground to meet their end of year deadline.
“We have schools that were damaged by sporadic hailstorms that accompanied the rains that fell from 22 November. As council we are doing our best to repair damaged classrooms, teachers’ houses and other essential infrastructure. By the end of the year, we expect to have finished the job as we do not want to have schoolchildren and teachers stranded once the next term opens in January. In fact, we want to do this before the year ends.
“The amount of damage is huge as we have rooftops that were blown away at Sankonjana in ward 1, classrooms and cottages that need urgent repair at Emhlohlweni Primary School, three toilets and a JoJo tank (water tank) at the same school. With other schools, the damages are on the roofs.
“As the local authority we are coordinating with the CPU but on our part there is an obligation to see to that the community we serve gets the services in the most immediate time. For now, as council we are at the stage of quantifying the costs of the damages and making headway in sourcing funds before the end of the year.”
Matobo district is one of the many in Matabeleland South and North that are affected by hailstorms every rain season. Last weekend, a storm hit Bulilima West, destroying eight classrooms and a teachers’ cottage at Ndolwane Primary School. In the same week, hailstorms fell on Shashi Secondary School in Beitbridge. The heavy rains caused electricity poles to fall leading to power cuts, wrecked church roofs, teachers’ cottages, a laboratory and classrooms.
