The Sunday News
Fairness Moyana in Hwange
HWANGE Local Board (HLB) has resumed the servicing of Empumalanga West expansion following negotiations between the funder, Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) and contractors who had pulled out citing currency changes.
The US$3,5 million project being funded by IDBZ was supposed to have been completed this year but has been deferred to next year following change of currency and increases in costs of material. The project is set to see the servicing of 2 145 stands, road network, street lighting, water and sewer reticulation.
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of a stakeholders budget review last week, HLB resident engineer Philip Mguni said the project had since resumed following budgetary review of contracts.
“We had to renegotiate the contract. The other major issue was the increase in the price of fuel and that affected the contractors so that was the challenge. There was not much activity on the ground because of those issues. It meant that IDBZ had to renegotiate those contracts to factor in the changes that were taking place in the market.
“So, this year we did not do much because when the construction industry opened at the beginning of the year as this is about the same time we started having challenges in terms of fuel and all that. In addition, the contractors’ certificates were pending which also affected progress on the ground. However, I’m happy to say that now those issues have been addressed.”
He said although the project was supposed to have been completed by year end the delays mean it would be done early 2020.
Stakeholders heard that work on the revamping of the Baobab Solar Sewer Treatment Plant was complete but council has not started making repayment on PSIP due to cash flow challenges. Council which recently commissioned a clinic in Empumalanga has failed to equip it to modern standards. Refurbishment of Empumalanga sewer treatment plant which was funded to the tune of US$453 362 is yet to be completed after the contractor moved on site.
Presenting the 2019 budget review report, finance director, Mr Innocent Tshuma said progress on most projects was affected by change in currency policy, structural and policy issues.
