Gwanda-Manama road in deplorable condition

By Kelvin Kutinyo

Motorists and residents in Gwanda South have sounded the alarm over the alarming state of the Gwanda-Manama (Mawane) road, which has become a hazardous stretch that’s crippling development in the region.

The once scenic and well maintained Gwanda-Manama road which was previously a joy to travel on has degenerated into an eyesore riddled with an endless array of potholes.

Local commuters are forced to zigzag between lanes, desperately trying to avoid the treacherous potholes and craters that now pockmark the once smooth asphalt, making every journey a bone-jarring, nerve-wracking experience.

Ward 17 Councillor, Mr. Ntuthuko Nyathi, revealed the urge for immediate attention adding that the damage to the Gwanda-Manama road may be attributed to multiple factors beyond just mining trucks.

“The state of our roads has been severely damaged because they are not maintained, we know natural causes will always be there but the major one is that they are not maintained.”

“It’s up to the agents who are responsible for road maintenance to make sure that they are maintained timeously that’s the best solution and the road users too must pay for their licenses so that money can be there to rehabilitate these roads.”

“Roads are damaged mainly due to natural causes like especially the rains they contribute immensely to the bad state of our roads we can put heavy trucks as another contributory factor. Human activity and animal actions on our smaller roads,” said Mr Nyathi.

The roads traversing the wards are severely deteriorated, plagued by widespread potholes, cracks, and damaged surfaces, thereby endangering the safety of residents, motorists, and their vehicles.

Councillor Ntuthuko Nyathi emphasized that funds allocated for road maintenance should be used exclusively for that purpose, and not diverted to support other development projects.

“The funds should not be diverted for other uses but strictly for road use, if zinara or council collect these funds in the name of road rehabilitation then let it be for road maintenance,” added Councillor Nyathi.

The recent mining activities have also contributed to the road’s poor condition. Many heavy trucks from lithium mines have been using the road, causing further damage.

Mangisi Nkomo, the Matabeleland South Provincial Roads Engineer, revealed that rehabilitation plans for the damaged road are underway, paving the way for improved road safety and connectivity.

“We have noted that the road is in a terrible state and we understand this is also a concern to motorists as well as the communities. We promise that on our plans for 2025, this road will be rehabiliated with approximately 7km of the road damaged roads.”

“We also hope that those from Gwanda lithium mine will contribute towards road maintainance, as they has promised to help with road rehabilitation,” said Mr Nkomo.

The Gwanda-Manama road is a vital link between Zimbabwe and Botswana, connecting to essential services which include Manama Hospital, and facilitating trade through its access to mining activities and other businesses.