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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent 

REDCLIFF Town Council has proposed a 2020 budget of $143 million with a bias towards tackling perennial water woes, improving education and health care facilities.

The figure could increase to $179 million if private public partnerships (PPP) and public sector investment projects are factored in, Redcliff Mayor Councillor Clayton Masiyatsva said.

The local authority has for a long time been seeking to become independent in terms of water supply and construction of a water treatment plant is its number one priority. 

“We are continuing with our pursuance of being a water authority hence we have tentatively set aside $20 million from our budget towards the construction of a water treatment plant,”  he said.

Once completed, Cllr Masiyatsva said the town will continue getting raw water from Kwekwe City Council and treat it at the facility.  At the moment the town is getting treated water from Kwekwe City Council but has been struggling to pay and has accrued a debt of about $3,5million.

Last year, the water treatment plant project suffered still birth after Cactis Dam, which was meant to supply water was condemned.

“Some anomalies were unearthed. So, we are still in talks with Kwekwe that they supply us with raw water and we buy our own treatment chemicals,” said Cllr Masiyatsva. 

In the budget, the local authority also set aside $1,5 million towards the construction of a primary school.

“We also intend to increase the number of primary schools in the town to avoid children walking long distances. So, towards the improvement of education we intend to construct a primary school,” he said.

Cllr Masiyatsva said the town was planning to construct a polyclinic, which will go a long way in improving health care services.

“We have also set aside quite a substantial amount towards the construction of Rutendo Polyclinic, which will go a long way in improving our health care system in the area,” he said. Currently, the town relies on Kwekwe General Hospital for health services. Recently, the local authority received a $7 million boost from Government to offset part of Zisco’s debt to the town. Redcliff used part of the money to clear salary arrears as well as pay a fraction of its water bill to Kwekwe.

Cllr Masiyatsva said cash flows had lately improved for the local authority from below half to about 59 percent, a move he said gave them confidence that the proposed budget will be workable.