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Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief

The Gwanda Rural District Council has partnered the Bengo community to repair a roof at Bengo Primary School which was blown off during a thunderstorm late last year.

Part of the roofing at Bengo Primary School that was damaged during a thunderstorm late last year.

Pupils have been learning in the open for close to a year as a result of building material procurement challenges the Gwanda RDC was facing.

Carpenters and builders will be drawn from the community as parents are determined to ensure the roof is repaired before the onset of the rains.

A number of schools in the district had their infrastructure damaged by rains last year.

Lumene, Nyambi and Makokwe primary schools as well as Ntalale High School are some of the schools that were also affected.

Gwanda RDC chief executive officer Mr Ranga Sibanda said building materials worth about US$14 000 were already on site.

“We had challenges procuring building materials but we eventually managed and they have been delivered to Bengo Primary School.

Building has not yet commenced but the material is now on the ground,” said Mr Sibanda.

He said work was expected to start as soon as possible.

“The community held a meeting about the repairs of the roofing. Usually we work with the community to mobilise locally available resources.

They have indicated that repairs will start anytime soon since the building materials are now available,” said Mr Sibanda.

St Anne’s Hospital

The strong winds and heavy rains also affected St Anne’s Hospital and Tshelanyemba Mission Hospital.

Manama Mission Hospital is also undergoing repairs after infrastructure and buildings were extensively damaged by a violent storm last October.

Roofs of several wards that include the maternity ward were blown off following the heavy rains accompanied by strong winds.

The strong winds and heavy rains which hit the Manama area also left the hospital without electricity after solar panels were damaged.-@Yolisswa