By Stephen Chadenga
Gweru City Council (GCC)has set aside at least US$60 000 through money ring-fenced from remittances from Gweru City Parking company for the rehabilitation and maintenance of the road network in the central business district.
Speaking this week on the sidelines of a 2024 pre-budget review meeting assistant finance director Owen Masimba said the money received from the partnership between the local authority and the vehicle parking management company has enabled council to improve service delivery in the city.
“We have at least US$60 000 which we will use for maintenance and rehabilitation of the road network in the town area,”Masimba said.
“The money is part of remittances we get from Gweru City Parking company and we usually ring fence these funds to enhance service delivery in the city.”
Masimba said for the year 2024 council managed to regrade 58 km of the road network, re gravelling 57 km from the targeted 100km, did 2106m2 tar pothole patching from a target of 12 000m2, drainage disiltation 45km from targeted 200km, carriage markings 2km from a target of 10km as well as reconstruction of 0,4km of road network from a target of 10km.
WAY FORWARD
“Going forward council will lobby government and the Zinara (Zimbabwe National Road Authority) for more funds to improve our road network as well as arrange for public private partnerships for the rehabilitation and maintenance of roads in the city,”he said.
Early this year Gweru mayor, councillor Martin Chivhoko revealed that the partnership between council and Gweru City Parking was paying dividends as the local authority managed to buy a tractor loader backhoe through remittances from the vehicle parking management system.
The partnership between council and City Parking started in April 2021 and remittances from the firm are part of council’s efforts to improve revenue inflows through public private partnership initiatives.
GCC entered into the deal with City Parking for the latter to collect parking fees and provide clamping services against errant motorists after it was discovered that municipal workers contributed to a lot of revenue leakages through corrupt activities.
The old manual system used by council to collect parking fees had long been condemned by both motorists and residents as open to abuse by council employees.
