Masvingo-Beitbridge Road contractors abandon sites over non-payment
Contractors working on the dualisation of Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway, including building a bridge, an interchange and tarring some sections of the road have abandoned their sites over non-payment by Government.
This was revealed by ProStruct Consulting Engineers representative Kudakwashe Dzimati during a tour of Government projects in Masvingo and Chivi districts yesterday by senior officials.
Dzimati specifically mentioned Masimba Construction, one of the biggest contractors on the road, as having abandoned the site and sent away its workers on July 2, 2026.
ProStruct Engineers is a Government consultancy on ongoing infrastructure development programs.
He warned the touring team that included Minister of State, Ezra Chadzamira, National Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Secretary, Fananai Madambi, that unless the already done work is protected before the rain season, there is going to be a lot of derailments.
Projects that are going to be seriously affected unless they are secured before the rains are Chimusana Bridge, across Mucheke River in Masvingo, an Interchange near Masvingo Poly and construction and expansion of the road near Panyanda Lodges.
“It is critical and our desire is that we protect these works before the rainy season. We had serious issues at Panyanda detour during the last rainy season,” said Dzimtai.
He said that it was the plan of all contractors to complete their current projects before the rain season.
“The main challenge is funding, and that’s what is causing contractors to suspend works; otherwise, we were geared to complete works at Chimusana Bridge by December.
Madambi promised to take up the matter with the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion.
“It’s not a good story because when people talk of the Beitbridge-Harare Road. What we can talk of is the Harare-Chirundu road because it’s supposed to be one project covering from Chirundu to Beitbridge.
“We will discuss with the relevant Ministry. We expect to be reading from the same page when we say Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo,” said Madambi. *_-Masvingo Mirror_*
