By Rex Mphisa
BEITBRIDGE residents have asked when their local authority will finish the link road branching off the Mfelandawonye from Mashakada Road across the Wamlala stream which has been blocked for months on end.
The road is key in reducing congestion and pressure off the Mashavira road from town now hard to use during peak hours.
Town clerk Loud Ramakgapola said the contractor was expected on the ground next week.
“The contractor should be on the ground next week,” said Ramakgapola in a brief response to questions.
His response is a departure from the previous position whe the local authority said work on the road would start by the end of September.
At the recent mid-term budget review meeting, he said work on the road had been delayed by non disbursement of funds by Zinara.
Zinara which now colle ts licence and toll fees for roads has been funding a number roads under a rapid response programme but Beitbridge has not made full use of it.
Some of the roads done are far below standard and are already worn.
Ramakgapola said the money released was almost a third of what was expected affecting the contractor forced back to the drawing board to restrategise.
The road under spotlight has been cause for concern to residents now accusing their local authority of not doing enough.
“They have numerous incomplete projects. There is this road, the bus terminus, several areas without water or sewer lines and one wonders when the municipality will ever finish its work,” asked one resident.
“Considering there is a habit of closing roads when a person passes on should we now say this road is closed because the municipality has died,” joked a local governance fundi Arthur Muoni.
He said the road is important to reduce pressure from both the Mfelandawonye Dulivhadzimu Bus Rank Road and the tarred one from the Stadium intersection to Mashavire.
It is the second time the road has been closed and during this second term the Beitbridge Fire Brigade failed to access a house reduced to ashes by a fire.