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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
GWERU City Council has bought state of the art earth moving equipment worth over $1, 2 million to service residential stands as well as rehabilitate the road network.

The Town Clerk, Ms Elizabeth Gwatipedza, said the equipment includes a grader, dozer, excavator, backhoe loader, two tipper trucks, pneumatic roller and a vibratory roller.

“I’m happy to reveal that we have bought earth moving equipment worth over $1,2 million to service residential areas as well as rehabilitate our road network. The equipment, which has been paid for, is on its way,” she said.

One of the first projects expected to benefit from the new equipment is the development of residential stands in the new Mkoba 21 suburb.

Last year, the Chairperson of the commission running the affairs at council, Mr Tsunga Mhangami, said the first batch of 2 000 stands should be ready for servicing by March this year.

Mr Mhangami revealed that to date, there was no detailed map for Mkoba 21 residential stands.

Recently, an audit report revealed that the local authority lost more than $300 000 to a company which carried out a survey of the 6 497 stands in the proposed Mkoba 21 suburb.

Council allegedly paid over $1,15 million to Terra Surveys Land Surveyors, instead of $785 524 — prejudicing the local authority of $365 028.

“The council lost $365 028 when it was advised to engage Terra Survey Land Surveyors without seeking competitive quotations,” said the audit.

@pchitumba1