Beitbridge Town Council procures $21,9m grader
ELLEN MLAMBO
TWO NATIONS REPORTER
BEITBRIDGE – The Municipality of Beitbridge has procured a $21,9 grader using devolution funds allocated to it in 2021.
The grader was unveiled to residents and stakeholders at the council workshop today.
Beitbridge Town Clerk Loud Ramakgapola said that the new acquisition has many advantages as it is going to make it cheaper for the local authority to maintain its roads.
The council has been hiring graders and because Beitbridge is far-flung, just bringing a grader from Harare or Bulawayo in itself is expensive.
“The state of roads in the suburbs is bad. We have been hiring graders and this approach is very expensive as just bringing in the grader from Harare or Bulawayo is a huge cost in itself. Getting our own grader will obviously reduce costs and allow us flexibility,” said Ramakgapola.
Turning to the 2022 budget, Ramakgapola said council looked forward to procuring 20 000 litre bowsers to be used at the town’s fire station that is under construction. The fire station is being constructed by Zimborders under a US$300 million mordenisation project.
The local authority will also complete the construction of a primary school in the border town and put up a clinic in Ward 6. Beitbridge has also secured a stand for a hospital, he said.
“We are also planning to procure a tipper. We have two currently but they are all down and they have been down for the past two years. We are also looking at putting up solar street lights,” said Ramakgapola.
Beitbridge deputy Mayor Agnes Tore said the local authority has plans to procure more equipment to service new suburbs and roads.
Combined Residents Associations representative, Jabulani Makhado thanked council for the procurement of the grader. He said the grader should be put to good use and first priority should be the areas that have the worst roads.
