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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter
GWANDA Municipality has channelled devolution funds towards upgrading the town’s sewer reticulation system which is constantly overflowing, thereby posing a health threat to residents.

Gwanda Municipality environmental management works committee chairperson, Councillor Thulani Moyo said the municipality recently received $14 million as devolution funds. He said part of the money had been allocated towards purchasing a refuse compactor, earth moving equipment and the rest will be used to upgrade the sewer system.

The project is at tendering stage.

Clr Moyo said some pump stations in the town were now obsolete.

“As part of efforts to improve on service delivery the council will be upgrading the town’s sewer reticulation system which is now old. There are several pump stations in the town which are no longer working well and as a result the effluent is now spilling. We have allocated part of the devolution funds which we received towards upgrading the system. We received $14 million and we will see how much money will go towards the project which is at tendering stage,” he said.

“Residents have been complaining about the effluent which is spilling thereby posing a health threat and we want to address this problem. The project will see us replacing the old pumps with new ones.”

Phakama Primary School

He said the local authority was in need of more funds to open a Satelite Clinic at Spitzkop Suburb. The town is relying on one clinic which is congested. He said there was also need for funds to expand Phakama Primary School which has two classroom blocks.

Clr Moyo said there was need for Government to allocate more devolution funds towards the municipality as there were many pressing problems that needed attention.

Gwanda Residents Association president Mr Wellington Nare

Gwanda Residents Association secretary-general Mr Wellington Nare said there was need for the municipality to address the town’s sewer reticulation system as a matter of urgency. He said residents in some areas have had to contend with burst sewer lines for a very long time.

“The problem of burst sewer pipes have dragged on for a long time. Some residents are living in neighbourhoods where effluent will be flowing past their homes. Some of the children go on to play in that effluent. This is not acceptable considering that people are paying their rates on a monthly basis. This sewer effluent poses a huge threat to the residents,” he said.

Mr Nare said it was a relief that the municipality was directing devolution funds towards addressing pertinent issues in the town. He said there was also a need for more schools to be built in order to ease congestion in existing ones. – @DubeMatutu.