By Nomalanga Makwelo
Bulawayo City Council has blamed the lack of adequate funds as the root cause of the deplorable condition of the city ‘s road network system.
According to the Senior Public Relations Officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu ,the city ‘s road network system is declining due to lack of funding which is needed to carry out maintenance programmes.
Mpofu stated that 70℅of the City ‘s roads which have outlived their lifespan needed major rehabilitation works such as overlaying and construction.
Mpofu however stated that funds available in the City Council’s financial coffers is being channeled towards conducting minimum work
such as pothole patching and resealing as short-term solutions.
The continuous rains being experienced have also been attributed as another cause of the bad condition of the roads .
Mpofu also cited shortages of fuel ,road construction materials ,spare parts for plant equipment as other challenges that the council was facing.
Last week while speaking at a virtual meeting organised by the Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights, Town Clerk Christopher Dube, expressed the same concerns stating that the local authority had so far received ZWL 15 436 055 from ZINARA for road rehabilitation.