SENATORS have raised concerns over the safety of motorists using detours along the Kwekwe-Silobela-Lupane Road, citing head-on collisions, speeding and poor visibility caused by dust.
The concerns were raised in the Senate as lawmakers pressed Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona to expedite rehabilitation works on the road and improve safety measures along the detours.
Midlands Senator Sisasenkosi Ndebele said motorists were at risk of head-on collisions because of inadequate road signage and a lack of speed humps on the detours.
“I would like to thank you very much for attending to our requests at Silobela. There are a lot of head-on accidents on the detours themselves because there are no road signs and humps. There will be a lot of dust coming up whereby visibility becomes poor,” she said.
Ndebele also raised concerns about speeding by motorists working in the mining sector, saying some had been involved in head-on collisions.
“We also requested from this House that our friends who are operating in mines, the Chinese tend to over speed and we noticed that they are mostly the culprits in the head-on collisions. We try to run away from them most of the time,” she said.
She called for stricter enforcement of speed limits and the installation of road signs and speed humps along the detours.
“Can there be a programme to ensure that they conform to the speed limits and may we also have road signs on those detours and humps as well,” she said.
In response, Mhona said the government was carrying out dust-suppression measures while rehabilitation works continued.
“I want to assure the Senator that yes, we do dust suppression where you see bowsers with water but we need to do that constantly,” he said.
Mhona said the first 10 kilometres of the rehabilitated road were expected to open within about two weeks, allowing motorists to stop using the affected detour.
“I am happy that in the next two or so weeks, we will be opening the first 10 kilometres, so she will be enjoying. We will not be using the detour that she is talking about. The contractor is moving with speed,” he said.
He said the government had also mobilised resources for work from the Kwekwe side, with nearly 50 kilometres of the new road having been opened in recent months.
“We have also mobilised again from the section coming from Kwekwe. So, you see us now that in the few months, we have opened close to 50 kilometres of the new road on that particular section,” Mhona said.
He said rehabilitation of the road would significantly reduce the distance to Victoria Falls.
“It is the road that will then shorten the distance to Victoria Falls by over 200 kilometres. We are excited as a ministry and as Government, that we finally heeded a call from the citizenry that the road must be rehabilitated,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator Mupande urged the ministry to accelerate works on the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road before the onset of the rainy season, warning that motorists using an alternative route through a national park faced additional risks from wildlife.
“There are wild animals. Elephants cross the road. If you come across elephants with smaller calves, they may attack you. So, may that road be attended to earlier?” she said.
Mupande also criticised contractors for delays in completing the project.
“We see them seated on the road and not working. I saw some of them playing soccer. They have forgotten that they are at work,” she said.
She appealed to the minister to ensure that contractors returned to work and completed the project.
“I appeal to the Minister. May they complete the road,” she said.
Mhona acknowledged the risks posed by the detour, saying the route stretched for nearly 16 kilometres and passed through a game park.
“The detour that she is talking about also passes through a game park, and the danger is associated with that detour going through the game park,” he said.
He said work on the affected section was now more than 80% complete.
“We are happy that the road is almost done now. When we talk of percentage, we are over 80 percent completion of that particular stretch that she has talked about,” Mhona said.
The minister attributed delays on the broader Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road to financial constraints but said resources had now been mobilised for contractors to resume work.
“I want to assure you that now we have mobilised resources, and you will see contractors on that entire stretch coming back to work again. They will not be playing football as she has said. They will be going back to work,” he said.
Mhona said he would visit the contractors in the coming weeks to reinforce the need for the rehabilitation works to be completed urgently.
He also assured senators that dust-suppression measures would be intensified on the detour as the remaining works were completed.
“As for the suppression of the detour, it is also something that will be attended to with speed and that section is almost complete now,” he said.
