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60pc of Zinara funds going to hiring equipment: Urban Councils

14 Feb, 2018 - 14:02 0 Views
60pc of Zinara funds going to hiring equipment: Urban Councils

eBusiness Weekly

HARARE – At least 60 percent of funds that  the Zimbabwe National Road Authority (Zinara) allocates to local  authorities for repair and maintenance of roads goes towards hiring  equipment as councils machinery is in a state of disrepair, an official  said on Tuesday.

Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe deputy president Tsungai Makore  told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on  Local Government, Public  Works and National Housing that Zinara should assist local authorities  to purchase own equipment to save resources on hiring.

“Equipment that local authorities have is in a sorry state of  disrepair. As far as we are concerned, the $28 million that Zinara was  availed in the current budget should be allocated to local authorities  for purchase of equipment to ensure that they are capacitated to be able  to support the contractors as and when they provide services.

“At least 60 percent of the funds allocated to local authorities  normally go to equipment hire,” he said.

Makore added: “That is why we are calling for a special allocation of  resources to local authorities to ensure that they can equip themselves  through some facility either be it duty free concession or other  allocation of foreign currency resources to ensure that we are equipped  with equipment to ensure that we can effectively service or rehabilitate  our roads,” he said.

He said Zinara should however stick to its mandate of managing the road  fund and not procure equipment for councils.

“We feel that Zinara should continue to fulfill its mandate as  stipulated in the Constitution being a funding unit, instead of  purchasing this equipment on our behalf. Local authorities are able to  purchase this equipment. Equipment purchased by local authorities will  obviously be the equipment which meets the requirements of the  respective local authorities,” said Makore.

In 2012, a company called Univern won a tender to supply 40 motorised  graders worth $8 million to Zinara but rural district councils  complained that they received snow graders instead. – New Ziana

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