Sharon Chigeza
MANICALAND – The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development’s new public hotline initiative has triggered an immediate and overwhelming public response in Manicaland, with residents seizing the opportunity to report urgent road defects across the province.
This follows a statement released by the Ministry on Monday, which established dedicated hotlines in every province and called on citizens to become active partners in road maintenance by reporting potholes and other hazards on Regional, Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary roads.
In an interview, Manicaland Provincial Roads Engineer, Raphael Sigauke, confirmed the surge in public engagement.
“There has been an overwhelming response to the statement released by the Ministry over the past 24 hours,” Eng Sigauke said. Though he could not yet provide a quantified number of reports, he emphasised the volume was significant.
“The response is overwhelming and we are yet to see how it progresses.”
The Ministry’s statement outlined the reporting protocol, urging the public to contact their Provincial Roads Engineer directly for swift intervention. It advised citizens to send clear photos or videos along with precise location details to enable faster response and efficient resource allocation.
The initiative is framed as part of a broader governmental drive for inclusive infrastructure development.
For Manicaland, residents are instructed to report defects directly to the Provincial Roads Engineer’s office using the dedicated contact details provided in the national announcement. The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to a safe and reliable road network, citing significant ongoing investments in rehabilitation and maintenance.
Engineer Sigauke’s remarks suggest the new policy has successfully tapped into widespread public concern over road conditions. The coming days will test the system’s capacity to translate this flood of reports into coordinated and visible repairs, marking a critical phase in this new partnership between the public and the road authorities.
