Heavy Vehicle Users To Repair Damaged Roads
Mining companies, brick moulding firms, and other heavy vehicle users that damage roads will be required to repair them and may face heavy fines for harming newly rehabilitated roads, a cabinet minister has said.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said road users who cause damage must contribute to the reconstruction efforts, rather than leaving the financial burden solely on the government.
He was speaking during the official opening of a 5km stretch of Solomon Mujuru Drive (formerly Kirkman Road) in Harare’s Dzivaresekwa Extension suburb on Monday. Mhona said (via The Herald):
I am sure we need to disseminate this very loud and clear message to the people of Zimbabwe, to say we have road users, especially companies, mining companies, brick moulding companies, quarry companies, just to mention a few, which have been using our roads, but not partaking in the exercise of maintaining our roads.
We are saying going forward, whoever is using our roads has to account to the people of Zimbabwe, not necessarily to say we are punishing the road users, but it actually makes sense for us to then say “this is our road, let’s look after it”.
Mhona said he will consult with the Ministers of Industry and Commerce, as well as Mines and Mining Development, to explore ways to ensure that mining companies and those involved in transporting goods contribute to road repairs.
He added that people must “take ownership of our infrastructure, against vandalism”, including road signs.
More: Pindula News
