TelOne embarks on massive national broadband project

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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
TELONE has started working on a national broadband project which includes the construction of a fibre optic link between Beitbridge and Bulawayo to enhance efficient communication countrywide.

The parastatal‘s managing director, Mrs Chipo Mutasa, said Cde Supa Mandiwanzira — the Minister of Information, Technology and Communication — will commission the link soon.

Mrs Mutasa was handing over 100 litter bins which the company donated to Beitbridge town council last Thursday as part of a social investment initiative for 2016 and 2017.

The bins, she said, were part of the 1 000 which TelOne bought under the Provide A-Bin Campaign and the company has since spent $50 000 on the initiative.

Said Mrs Mutasa: “Work is already underway and the link will soon be commissioned by the Minister of Information, Technology and Communication. At the moment we are receiving traffic direct from Mozambique which then links with our major centres Mutare, Harare and Bulawayo.

“The new initiative will connect traffic direct from South Africa through Beitbridge, Bulawayo and Harare and bring the much needed services in Zimbabwe at affordable prices and reliable high speed.”

She said the coming in of the new communication link will result in network expansion in Beitbridge.

Mrs Mutasa said the town was growing rapidly hence the need to expand its communication facilities.

The event was preceded by a joint clean-up of the town by TelOne and Beitbridge town council employees.

“As TelOne, supporting environmental management is one of the key thematic areas of intervention in our corporate social investment plan for the current strategic period running into 2018,” said Mrs Mutasa.

Speaking at the same event, Beitbridge town council chairperson, Clr Showa Moyo, said the town had 300 street bins against a target of 500, before the donation.

“As it stands we are in need of another 100 bins. We welcome this kind gesture by TelOne and we want to urge residents and others players to complement our efforts of keeping a clean environment.

“The 100 bins will be installed around the city centre and along the major highways. As an institution we are equally worried about issues of littering and we will continue planning more strategies to ensure we have one of the cleanest environments in Zimbabwe” she said.

Town secretary, Mr Loud Ramakgapola, said last year the town launched an annual mayor’s half marathon to raise awareness about sanitation issues.

The initiative involves a 20 km road race which starts at Lutumba Business Centre and ends in the CBD.

“During the race we will have people cleaning up the highways and most litter hot spots while others will run against litter. It is important that we pull in one direction as stakeholders if we are to achieve our set target,” he said.

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