LEARNERS in some parts of Matobo and Mangwe in Matabeleland South often miss lessons during the rainy season as there is no access bridge to by-pass Simukwe River.
This has riled Parliament with lawmakers last week urging the government to speed up the construction of a 200-metre Simukwe River Bridge on the border of Matobo district and Mangwe district.
Construction started in 2019.
Opposition Matobo-Mangwe lawmaker, Madalaboy Ndebele, said some school children have lost their lives trying to cross the river.
“On December 26 last year, four children tried to cross the river and two of them drowned,” Ndebele said.
“Across the river, there is a school, where almost 200 children attend classes .
“The construction of the bridge was meant to bring relief to local villagers as well as learners and teachers at Mambale primary and secondary schools as children in ward 5 Metabo need to cross the river to reach the mentioned schools in Mangwe.”
Ndebele said US$80 000 was released by the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration towards the construction of the bridge, but there has been no meaningful progress.
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Transport and Infrastructural Development deputy minister Joshua Sacco, said the bridge is under the purview of the Rural Infrastructural Development Agency (RIDA).
Sacco said construction was stopped because of design defects.
“Construction came to a halt due to designs not corresponding to geotechnical issues, which are the ground formation issues that were encountered during construction,” he said.
“The authority is currently working on rectifying the anomalies relating to the design and subsurface conditions.
“Construction works will resume once this matter is resolved and the funding will be sought to ensure the completion of the bridge structure.”
“We will also ensure that RIDA works hand-in-hand with my ministry through the relevant road engineers and our bridges section under the department of roads to guarantee that the design review process and subsequent construction of the bridge is expedited.”
