Simbarashe Mtembo
A haulage truck contracted to transport minerals from Chinese-owned Bikita Minerals was stuck along Gutu – Buhera Road for two weeks amidst an outcry from motorists and farmers from Nyazvidzi that the trucks are heavily damaging the earth road which is owned by the State.
The Mozambique-registered heavy vehicle (AD 292 SFA) was stuck in the middle of the Road in the Soti Source area near Chitepo Primary School two weeks back making the road impassable. Tens of vehicles ferrying spodumine from the Sino Mine owned mine to Beira prefer to use the dirty Gutu-Buhera Road instead of the tarred Gutu- Chivhu Road which is 108km longer leaving the former in terrible bad state.
Although Bikita Minerals spokesperson, Collen Nikisi said that the truck had nothing to do with his company, the goods carried were inscribed with the name of the mine.
The trucks cannot use Masvingo – Mutare Road because of the weight restriction on heavy vehicles over Birchenough Bridge. Nikisi said the Chinese run lithium mine plans to build another bridge at Birchenough soon.
Gutu Ward 3 Councillor Petros Magumise said he took the matter to the Roads Engineer in Masvingo and the answer he got was that Bikita Minerals or any other haulage company cannot use the earth road. He also said that he visited the road with engineers from Masvingo.
An expert who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Mirror that heavy vehicles cannot use Gutu – Buhera road because although it was once a gravel road, it is now an earth road. Earth roads are those that are no longer regularly compacted with gravel to support heavy weight.
He said that under normal circumstances heavy vehicles are banned from using the road because it will easily collapse and form gullies rendering it unusable.
Efforts to get a comment from the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Engineer Joy Makumbe were fruitless as she continued to promise answers to questions.
Government started tarring Gutu- Buhera Road at independence but only 15km of the 57km road has been tarred in the last 45 years. The MP of the area is Winston Chitando while the senators are Lovemore Matuke and Yeukai Simbanegavi. Gutu Rural District Council (RDC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alexander Mtembwa said Gutu-Buhera Road needed attention although he was quick to say that it received major maintenance at independence last year.
“It is our humble appeal to the Ministry of Transport that the road be attended to. Its state can negatively affect business,” said Mtembwa.
“More than 70 different trucks from South Africa, Mozambique and other mining concerns like Dinson and Sabi Star Mine use the route. Therefore, trucks leaving Bikita Minerals for Mozambique are a tiny fraction. However, we are committed to be part of a broader collective engagement in assisting the community,” said Nikisi.
