By Rex Mphisa
ENGINEERS from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces could be used to build the long-awaited 60 kilometre canal from Zhovhe Dam to Beitbridge.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said Thursday the development is a possibility whose results will uplift the lives of communal people on the canal’s course.
“We can do this as an in-house project. Army engineers can build that canal using very little equipment. They might just need an excavator and a bulldozer and it can be done,” said Chiwenga.
“The canal will then provide water to people along the way and we can turn the whole area from Zhovhe to Beitbridge green when smallholder farmers and villagers go into irrigation,” he said.
“We want to see a change, we want the whole area to be green. I remember in the First Republic we discussed the canal, and found it was possible to have the survey and army builders,” said Chiwenga.
He was responding to an appeal by Matabeleland South Minister For Provincial Affairs and Devolution Albert Nguluvhe who said the bulk of Beitbridge people are not benefitting from the Zhovhe Dam.
The dam with a full supply capacity of 133 million cubic meters was built in 1995 on the Mzingwane River to supply water for commercial irrigation and the town of Beitbridge.
But since its completion only a handful of commercial farmers have been harvesting the water for their vast commercial citrus farms.
In his welcome remarks Nguluvhe asked Chiwenga to help communal farmers benefit from the dam.
“I am not being racist but 60 percent of the eater us being used but by just a few farmers,” said Nguluvhe.
Chiwenga was in Beitbridge as part of his flagship projects visit in Matabeleland South.
On Thursday he landed at the Bishopstone Estates where he toured the $15 million juice extra the plant belonging to Orange Ville belonging to some commercial farmers.
The plant is situated deep in the rural area where it is fed by nearby citrus estates.
Brandon park, one of the Orange Ville directors Brandon Park said at the moment the farm employs 300 people targeting 1 500 when it is fully operational to handle 3 000 tones of juice.