Zimpapers Logo

Prince Sunduzani, Chronicle Reporter
THE Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) is set to erect a perimeter fence on either side of the Bulawayo-Plumtree road by the end of this year at an estimated cost of $320 000 to avoid traffic accidents caused by animals.

TSCZ spokesperson Mr Tatenda Chinoda said the fencing of 106 kilometres of the road will start as soon as all the tender processes that are already underway have been concluded.

“ This one will cost an estimated $320 000 .There is no clear date on when the project is going to begin, but tender processes are underway and as soon as they are done the project will commence. Our target is to finish by the end of this year, meaning by December 30 we should be done,” said Mr Chinoda.

The TSCZ, which is a parastatal under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, last year embarked on a project to fence off the country’s highways as part of measures to reduce carnage on the country’s roads caused by stray animals.

The highway fencing programme started with the erection of the Bulawayo-Gweru Highway perimeter fence.

Last month, (TSCZ) officially handed over the fence erected on either side of the highway at a cost of about $500 000 to the Government.

During the hand-over ceremony, the Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Engineer Michael Madanha, said since fencing of the Gweru Bulawayo road early this year, no fatal accidents involving animals have been recorded.

“The Government, through my ministry, realised there was wanton loss of lives, livestock and property and decided to act by embarking on this fencing exercise. This commendable project dovetails with the Government’s Zim-Asset programme. The cost of erecting this fence was about half a million dollars.

“I am reliably informed that ever since this perimeter fence was erected, no fatal vehicle-animal collision has been recorded,” said Eng Madanha.

He said the Bulawayo-Gweru highway accounted for 44 percent of the accidents recorded in the country last year before the erection of the fence.

@PrinceNkosy102