In preparation for a planned and sustainable future, the City of Masvingo today engaged in a half day workshop to advise stakeholders on the key priorities which include an update on the Master Plan preparation process, validate the report of study that will inform the scope of the Master Plan, Written Statement and define next steps towards finalization of the Master Plan.

Council has taken steps to inform stakeholders on continued progression of the City of Masvingo Master Plan through the lens of ‘where are we now? ‘, and informing two additional questions, ‘ where do we want to go?, and how do we get there?’

The intent is to carry out a comprehensive Master Plan that is inclusive, transparent and grounded in extensive consultation with the community.

In all aims to manage solid waste and wanting to make Masvingo urban a clean city, the City of Masvingo has effected lifelong responsible and sustainable environmental control mechanisms which include landfilling to manage the bulk of solid waste, Waste to Energy (WtE) innovation, 3 Rs; that is Reduce  Reuse and Recycle – separation of waste at source as well as strategies for solid waste management at Ward level through creation of effective and efficient health clubs and clean up campaigns. 

The City’s integrated approach and invigorated by environment education has continuously stood out as the most effective strategy in capacity building of the community for improved performance. 

Masvingo City has demonstrated that solid waste that is created in the city is evacuated and arranged in a protected and proficient way at the Cambria landfill. Council has managed to accomplish better solid waste administration framework because of fairly adequate waste gathering and good transfer framework. 

Council has managed to come up and effectively enforce the City of Masvingo Anti- littering Bylaw coupled with the Public Health Act with a $5 fine for littering and $20 fine for illegal dumping. Thus, has enabled the City to do away with the problem of open dumps.

City of Masvingo aims on its strategic blueprint and on its main objective to attain, An Industrialised World Class Metropolitan City by 2030, to achieve this, stresses a smart environment devoid of pollution in its operational parameters.

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The City of Masvingo has managed to put inplace a web- based parking system code named ‘Wezhira the Parker’ that offers pay and park facilities with computerized parking receipts. 

Council has already installed software and provided hand-held devices for attendants at parking lots that connect the feed from the City’s parking spots to the central server on the City of Masvingo website – www.masvingocity.org.zw. 

The hand-held device generates e-receipts and the software allows motorists to view online the number of free and occupied slots as and when cars enter and exit the parking lot. Council also proposes to issue preloaded cards to car owners for cashless payments. 

The new system is also aimed at reducing parking woes in the central business district. 

Data collected from client satisfaction surveys over a year ago, the City of Masvingo had flouted the idea of transparent online system in a bid to tighten security and increase revenue collection.

They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. The City of Masvingo in partnership with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has embarked on a two-day induction workshop for Council owned schools’ (SDCs) school development committees  with the aim to reinforce the capacity of the SDCs who are charged with the responsibility of governing schools and increase parents’ active participationin school management. 

The program which has snowballed to become an annual event each time a new SDC is ushered in capacitate both school heads and committees on roles and responsibilities of SDC, the role of the Responsible Authority,  financial management, asset management, vehicle policy, recruitment procedures, audit, leadership and management principles. 

Over the years, there has been a remarkable improvement in SDC governance and management of schools. There was a leap in the number of effectively and efficiently governed Council schools. 

After training on financial and asset management, instituted changes have led to transparency in the management of school finances. This in turn has won SDCs greater confidence from the parents who are now more willing to pay school levies. 

Basically, to sustain close supervision of schools, demanding accountability is crucial. 

The two-day workshop established the following areas of concern; governance, financial management and school-community relations. The identified capacity gaps were refined.  

The workshop was graced by His Worship, the Mayor, Cllr Aleck Tabe and District Schools Inspector, Mr Ishmael Chigaba.

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