Zimpapers Logo

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent 

GOVERNMENT is set to drill 150 boreholes in Matabeleland South province under the Rural Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) Programme.

In an interview, Matabeleland South Rural WASH chairperson, Mr Moment Malandu, said Government was conducting this programme in partnership with a Chinese company, although he could not disclose the amount invested.

He said each of the province’s seven districts was set to receive about 20 boreholes. Mr Malandu said the programme had already started in Matobo District where 16 boreholes had already been drilled.

“We have an ongoing project in Matabeleland South province where 150 boreholes will be drilled under the Wash programme. Each district is expected to get plus or minus 20 boreholes. We are already drilling in Matobo where there are two rigs and so far we have drilled about 16 boreholes which means we are about to move to another district. This project is a partnership between Zimbabwe and China although I’m not briefed on the amount that was invested in the project,” he said.“We started the actual drilling end of April and we hope to have completed this project in the next six to nine months. We are expecting this project to give us 150 wet boreholes. The company which is responsible for drilling these boreholes is J.X International. This project will go a long way in alleviating water shortages in the province.” 

Mr Malandu, who is also the Matabeleland South DDF provincial co-ordinator, said the road authority was also drilling 17 boreholes and repairing 16 others to improve water supply in the province.

He said Government had allocated $256 000 for this project.

Mr Malandu said the districts facing severe water challenges were Umzingwane Matobo, Mangwe and Bulilima. He said in areas where the water table was very low, DDF was going to install piped water schemes.“We don’t expect villagers to walk more than two kilometres to reach the nearest water point. The situation is worsening by the day in the province although it’s not yet critical. We have teams on the ground that will respond when boreholes develop faults. Many dams have dried up and people are now sharing water with livestock. As DDF we are doing all we can to address these challenges,” he said.

Mr Malandu said other projects they had lined up for the year included construction of bridges which was allocated $2,4 million, road maintenance works which was allocated $2,5 million and rehabilitation of Bambanani Irrigation Scheme in Mangwe which was allocated $310 000. He said all these projects were being funded by Government under the Public Sector Investment Programme.—@DubeMatutu