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Mkhululi Ncube, Chronicle Reporter

GOVERNMENT has granted Tsholotsho a town board status, as the Second Republic steps up efforts to develop the district in line with the national vision of transforming the country into an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

This was revealed by Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo during the installation of Mr Jack Msunduzwa Jiyane (60) as Chief Mahlathini at Dinyane Secondary School in Tsholotsho yesterday.

Chief Mahlathini takes over the position which was left by his father who died in 2018.
His elder brother Mr Nkalimeva Jiyane who was initially set to assume the chieftainship in July 2021 succumbed to Covid-19 before his installation.

Minister Moyo said Government will modernise the infrastructure in Tsholotsho in line with the new status.

“You may recall that a lot of infrastructure was destroyed during the war of liberation and Tsholotsho District was not spared. Government is working tirelessly towards the reconstruction and rehabilitation of this infrastructure including modernising it,” he said.

“Government is alive to the need to refurbish the Bulawayo-Tsholotsho Road which is in a bad state and I would like to assure the Tsholotsho community that you will witness the rehabilitation of that particular road.”

Minister Moyo said funds will be released to the local authority to attend to some of the roads that needs attention in the district.

He said the district must also utilise its rich natural resources such as timber and wildlife to spur economic growth and development.

“I recently sent a delegation to consult the people of Tsholotsho including traditional leaders regarding the issue of the town status. I am pleased to inform you that Tsholotsho has been granted the town board status,” said Minister Moyo.

“Everything is in place to ensure its full implementation. This is in line with the President’s Vision 2030 of an upper middle-income economy.”
The minister challenged other Government departments and the traditional leadership structures to work together in developing the district.

Tsholotsho Rural District Council chairperson Councillor Esau Siwela lauded Government for its decision to grant the district town board status, saying it is a step in the right direction in terms of developing the area.

“Tsholotsho is lagging behind in terms of development in areas such as road network. This has resulted in investors shunning Tsholotsho, and the latest development will unlock some of the funding needed to usher development,” he said.

“At the moment the growth of Tsholotsho is being pushed by the high diaspora community and we need to diversify.”

Chief Mahlathini said addressing water challenges and crime-induced by drug abuse among youths are some of the challenges facing the local community.

“We once had functioning piped water schemes, but due to electricity challenges most of them are down and our people are having difficulties in accessing water.

“We have a number of unemployed youths in the community who are now resorting  to drug abuse which has seen crime increase,” he said.
“I will also work with the local political leadership on development issues and once elections are done and dusted, it must be development.”

The Mahlathini chieftainship is believed to be one of the oldest in the country. The first Chief Mahlathini Jiyane came with King Mzilikazi from South Africa in the 1890s.

The chieftainship was downgraded to a headman in 1965 by the colonial regime but was later resuscitated in 2012 when Edward Nkalimeva Jiyane was installed.
The deputy president of the Chiefs Council Chief Mtshane Khumalo hailed the Jiyane family for the unity they showed in the selection of the new chief.

He appealed to Government to work on the boundary issues to avoid conflicts.
“We are happy Minister Moyo promised to send a team from Harare to work on the boundaries between Chief Gampu and Chief Mahlathini so that there is

harmony between these communities,” he said.–@themkhust