Zimpapers Logo

Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
BEITBRIDGE Municipality has hired Engineer Masauso Store to head its water and sanitation section as the local authority presses ahead with plans to end perennial sewage management and water supply challenges.

Engineer Store is faced with a huge task of turning around fortunes in one of the country’s fastest-growing border towns.

Town Clerk Mr Loud Ramakgapola said the move was in line with a council resolution to beef up human resources with two engineers responsible for Water and Sanitation, and Road Infrastructure.

“This is part of our large plan to improve service delivery and we are on course to filling all vacant posts in the municipality organogram.

“So, the water and sanitation and the roads engineers will be reporting to the Director of Engineering and Works Department,” said Mr Ramakgapola.

He said Engineer Store has vast experience in water and sanitation engineering after having worked with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa), where he held several senior posts for 10 years.

Engineer Store is a holder of an honours degree in Civil and Water Engineering and a Masters’ degree in Project Management obtained at the National University of Science and Technology.

He also has several certificates for courses related to civil engineering obtained from the University of Zimbabwe.

“We are very hopeful that service delivery in our town will improve with the hiring of more technical staff and the acquisition of the requisite equipment to fix roads, water and sewage among other amenities.

“You will note that currently we are seized with upgrading sewer reticulation facilities in Ward 6 which have become a headache to us and the residents. The coming in of a person with experience and the technical know-how in that area will help complement what we are already doing,” said Mr Ramakgapola.

He said the beefing up of staff in the engineering department would boost the town’s transformation into a medium city.

Mr Ramakgapola said Eng Store will also be charged with designing and redesigning the town’s water reticulation facilities.
He said plans were already underway to connect some houses to water and sewer in the newly-built suburbs.

“We expect most of the water and sewer reticulation challenges to be a thing of the past considering the assistance we are getting from other players, among them Zimborders which is constructing a reservoir to carry 11,4 mega litres of purified water,” said Mr Ramakgapola.

“You will also realise that we have a long-term plan to take over the role of water treatment and supply role from Zinwa.

“We believe that our chances could be better with the expertise on these matters who has knowledge on council and Zinwa administrative issues”.

Eng Store who has already started visiting the problem areas said he was looking forward to implementing the action plan by the local authority to fix challenges around water and sanitation. — @tupeyo.