Masvingo City Council has embarked on a major road rehabilitation drive that will see the re-constructing, overlaying, and resealing of major roads around the city. The $ 7 million worthy projects are already on track.

The road rehabilitation drive is part of Masvingo City Council’s road infrastructure rehabilitation project which is being funded by ZINARA and the City Council.

There has been noteworthy progress so far. Currently, earthworks are 100% complete in Mucheke D. The surfacing of roads is 95% complete. Resealing of Chesvingo Drive, Mboroma Street, and Smart Street almost complete. Drainage lining along Simon Mazorodze Street is almost complete.

Masvingo City Council Roads foreman, Mr. Stephen Musiyo said, ‘Our aim is to complete the project before the agreed timeframe and we are working hard to achieve that. We have secured all the required material needed to make sure that work progresses well’.

Commenting on the developments, Masvingo City Council Acting Town Clerk, Eng Edward Mukaratirwa said, ‘The rehabilitation of roads in the city is ahead of schedule, despite the deepening economic crisis militating against the multi-million dollar project’.

The scraping of roads levy in 2019 has resulted in the maintenance backlog of roads.

To help in the fight against COVID-19, Steelmakers (Simbi) has donated a consignment of Personal Protective Equipment worth over $100 000 to Masvingo City Council.

The hand-over ceremony of the donation was presided over by Masvingo City Council Acting Town Clerk, Eng Edward Mukaratirwa on the 29th of May 2020 at an event that was held in the Town Hall.

Speaking during the handover ceremony Mr Karowayona of Steelmakers said the donations were part of the wider efforts by the Organisation to assist in mitigating the spread of the Coronavirus.

‘As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility policy we extend our support to the worthy cause. The consignment we are handing over to you is just another token of our commitment to working together with the local authority in the fight against the spread of the Coronavirus in the city.

Receiving the donation, Masvingo City Council Mayor, Cllr Collen Maboke expressed satisfaction with the efforts being made by the corporate world in the fight against the spreading of the Coronavirus.

In his closing remarks, Masvingo City Council Chamber Secretary, Mr Vitalis Shonhai expressed gratitude at the well timed boost by Steelmakers (Simbi).

The event was attended by Steelmakers management, Masvingo City Council Management and employees.

The National COVID-19 Taskforce representatives; Permanent Secretary for Environment and Tourism Ministry, Mr Munesu Munodawafa and Permanent Secretary for Mines and Mining Development Ministry, Mr Onesimo Moyo visited Masvingo Isolation Center on Saturday the 2nd of May 2020 on a familiarisation tour aimed at assessing the state of preparedness and any interventions that may be required.

The team applauded the Provincial COVID-19 Taskforce together with Masvingo City Council for stepping up to the plate in the wake of COVID-19 in ensuring that the facility is well equipped and ready to take in patients in the event of any cases reported.

‘The thrust of the visit is to assess the state of preparedness of the district at micro- level and province at macro-level, and also to identify areas which requires the National COVID-19 Taskforce’, said Mr Moyo.

In his presentation, City of Masvingo Chief Environmental Officer, Mr Ngonidzashe Mapamula gave an outline of the progress which had been made towards the preparations of the facility as well as the items which were still outstanding. Among the items were Autoclave machine and incinerator.

The team took time out of their schedule to tour the facility and was satisfied by progress made so far.

In a noteworthy development, the City of Masvingo met with the business community and residents associations (MURRA and MASDRRA) on the 28^th of April 2020 on a stakeholder interface aimed at cushioning the ratepayers in response to the previous outcries over March 2020 bills. To that effect the City Council has slashed the minimum water charges by 50%.

The City Fathers were commended for stepping up to the plate by reducing minimum water band from 0-10m3 to 0-5m3, translating to a reduction in the minimum water charge for high density areas from $260 to $130 and the basic household bill from $602.90 to $472.90. The effect of this is that residents will pay less in fixed charges and their bill becomes more dependent on their water consumption.

Among the subjects discussed was the sourcing of service delivery like refuse collection from private players, revival of traditional revenue streams which include; farms, beer halls, Mucheke Bus Terminus and create an autonomous department for them to be effective and efficient as well as privatising prepaid parking.

Acting Town Clerk, Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa however said, the City Council had taken note of the submissions and the issues were to be attended to with due diligence.

He also urged residents to religiously service their water bills.

“We are open to ratepayers to come and negotiate for payment plans for the debts they are owing City Council. However, we urge the residents to service their water bills and at all cost save water”, he said.

His Worship, The Mayor, Cllr Collen Maboke in his welcome and closing remarks also reiterated the need for ratepayers to pay their water bills to enable the City Council to provide services to the city.

City of Masvingo joins the rest of the World in commemorating the World Day Safety and Health at Work running under the theme: ‘stop the pandemic: Safety and Health’.
The City of Masvingo adheres to the model; work, health and safety laws, whereby the local authority has a duty of care for the health and safety of employees at the workplace which is handy in reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
COVID-19 has brought with it a need for City of Masvingo to adapt rapidly changing workplace practices.
In a noteworthy development, the City of Masvingo is raising awareness of work health and safety and taking action to prevent the spread of the disease by:
• Ensuring good hygiene through provision of hand washing buckets with disinfectants at the workplace.
• Implementing physical distancing.
• Use of personal Protective Equipment and Personal Protective Clothing as appropriate.

More also, the City of Masvingo has developed a COVID-19 information desk to help employees prevent contracting the virus. This is enabled through the use of digital technologies to disseminate information on COVID-19.

As COVID-19 cases continue to escalate world-wide, the City of Masvingo’s Department of City Health has taken the necessary steps to mitigate and interrupt the transmission of COVID-19.

In a noteworthy development, the Department has embarked on public education to raise awareness about COVID-19.

It has intensified awareness campaigns on good hygiene practices and social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus using public address system.

Health workers are playing a crucial role in supporting the COVID-19 preparedness and response activities to ensure the rapid identification of cases to stop transmission and the spread of the virus in order to save lives.

In response to the conformation of the COVID-19 cases, the Department is conducting full outbreak investigation including tracing of contacts, intensifying surveillance, expanding case management capacity as well as mapping and training health personnel.

To date, the City of Masvingo has not yet recorded any case of COVID-19.

The National COVID-19 Taskforce represented by the Minister of Defence in the Cabinet of Zimbabwe, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has toured the City of Masvingo Isolation Centre in Rujeko Suburb to conduct an assessment of the facility’s state of preparedness and any issues requiring the attention of the National COVID-19 Taskforce. The tour was undertaken on Sunday 19 April 2020.

Rujeko Isolation Centre is one of the province’s facilities designated by the Ministry of Health and Child Care to cater for patients with COVID 19.

The head of delegation, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri after the tour highlighted the positives as well as the areas that may require attention by both the City Council and Provincial COVID 19 Taskforce.

‘One of the issues that came out of this discussion is the issue of PPE and concentration on prevention of the spreading of the Corona Virus, so there has been a consensus on increasing PPE’, she explained.

Acting Town Clerk, Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa expressed optimism that the National COVID 19 Taskforce team will be satisfied with the high standards set by the local authority which has re-affirmed its commitment to maintain high standards.

‘A lot of effort has been put, ofcourse with the support of the Masvingo Province COVID 19 Taskforce in making sure that we are well resourced. From the tour of the Isolation Centre, it became apparent to everyone that we have a well-resourced facility. It can match any standard in terms of resources with regards to the WHO set standards;, he said.

Also present were senior City Council members including His Worship, The Mayor, Cllr Collen Maboke, Acting Town Clerk, Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa, Chamber Secretary, Mr Vitalis Shonhai, City Engineer, Eng Tawanda Gozo and Acting Chief Environmental Health Officer, Mr Ngonidzashe Mapamula.

In a ringing endorsement of the City of Masvingo’s efforts to improve on health service delivery, the National COVID 19 Taskforce team comprising of Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Mr Winston Chitando who was in the company of Senator Lovemore Matuke applauded ongoing infrastructural developments at Rujeko Isolation centre, following a whistle stop tour of the Council isolation facility.

The delegation which was led by the Provincial Minister, Ezra Chadzamira who is also the Masvingo COVID 19 Taskforce Chairperson commended the City Council’s Administration led by the Acting Town Clerk, Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa for efforts made by the Council in attempting to create a top-notch health facility.

Minister Chitando also expressed his delight at the fact that City of Masvingo had taken heed of the government ‘s clarion call on establishing Isolation centres to cater for COVID 19 patients.

Prior to the commencement of the tour, the ministerial delegation was briefed by Acting Town Clerk, Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa on progress achieved so far on refurbishment of the facility.

Acting Town Clerk Engineer Mukaratirwa, invited the delegation to tour the Council’s facility in order to get a first hand appreciation of the Council’s efforts at improving health service delivery.

Engineer Mukaratirwa noted that the visit by the Ministers was hopefully one of the many more that City of Masvingo hoped to continue benefiting from the team’s wise counsel and guidance.

The touring party was particularly impressed by the renovations made in a bid to meet World Health Organisation standards.

Acting Town Clerk Engineer Mukaratirwa expressed the Council’s gratitude to the visiting delegation for taking time out of their hectic schedules to embark on the familiarisation tour.

In a development that is set to positively impact on the city’s health service delivery system, Masvingo Provincial COVID – 19 Taskforce chaired by Provincial Affairs Minister, Ezra Chadzamira has today toured Rujeko Isolation Centre to assess the standards set by World Health Organisation, and also donated building material worthy $ 100 000 towards the renovations of the facility.

Minister Chadzamira commended the City Fathers for responding to the government’s clarion call in assisting the nation in the fight against COVID – 19.

The bodies were lying in the streets un-buried. All railroads and vessels carrying food and such things into the great city had ceased runnings and mobs of the hungry poor pillaging.