Mega Beitbridge projects frozen

Several government-initiated infrastructure projects in Beitbridge, Matebeleland South, have stalled due to underfunding and neglect, provincial authorities have revealed.

Matebeleland South Provincial Affairs Minister Albert Nguluvhe highlighted the challenges during a field tour of key projects under the Beitbridge Rural District Council (RDC), aimed at assessing progress and identifying bottlenecks.

One of the flagship projects, the proposed Beitbridge Airport in Lutumba, Ward 15, has been stalled despite 150 hectares being allocated and a ground-breaking ceremony held several years ago. Illegal settlements are encroaching on the site.

"The airport is a strategic development for Beitbridge and the province," Nguluvhe said. "We cannot allow illegal settlers to delay progress. I have directed the district development coordinator and RDC CEO to engage traditional leaders so that the land is cleared."

The Mtshilashokwe River Bridge, destroyed by a cyclone, was another site of concern. Its collapse has disrupted coal transport from Tuli Coal Mine, isolated villages in Ward 8, and affected safari and farming operations. Nguluvhe urged urgent allocation of funds for its reconstruction.

At Beitbridge District Hospital, critical gaps were noted, including a shortage of 40 nurses, a broken X-ray machine, and limited ambulance coverage. Nguluvhe said he would follow up with relevant ministries while suggesting doctors rotate monthly to rural clinics.

Other stalled projects include the 11.4-megalitre water tank in Beitbridge town, which remains unconnected to the town's water system, rendering it unusable and preventing cost savings on electricity. The fire station is under-equipped, and the upgraded Beitbridge Border Post, commissioned in September 2022 at nearly US$300 million, faces intermittent power supplies and operational inefficiencies in the animal quarantine and incineration facilities.

The Department of Roads camp, intended to house the district roads engineer, remains unused despite an official commissioning by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Additionally, civil servants have raised concerns about steep rentals eroding their salaries.

Nguluvhe called for the prioritisation of funding and resolution of operational challenges to ensure that infrastructure projects meet their intended economic and social objectives.