By Mvelo Mthiyane Zondo
MATOBO — The government has pledged to complete all outstanding 46th Independence Day legacy projects in Matabeleland South by the end of 2026.
To reinforce the pledge, Vice President Kembo Mohadi recently visited Matobo district to check the progress of outstanding projects that were not completed before their set deadlines.
The projects, covering sectors such as agriculture, education, health, transport, sport, and the arts, are meant to accelerate the province’s economic growth, thereby improving people’s livelihoods.
The infrastructure projects include the construction of classrooms, science laboratories, teachers’ houses, clinics, bridges, and roads. Some of these projects were completed before the country celebrated its 46th Independence Day at Maphisa Business Centre in Matobo district.
Speaking during his recent visit to Matobo district, VP Mohadi said the purpose of his tour was to monitor and check the progress of outstanding Independence legacy projects.
In a press briefing at Mahetshe Primary School in Maphisa, VP Mohadi expressed satisfaction and hope that all the projects would be finalised.
“I am here to check on the progress of outstanding projects. I found that some are still lacking in certain areas. So, we need to look into how we are going to complete those projects,” he said.
“We had a problem with road funding, but we now have a lasting solution, as we will be surfacing 204 km of road by the end of the year.”
VP Mohadi toured, among other projects, the Bulawayo-Maphisa Road, which is undergoing rehabilitation.
A lot of ground has been covered along this road, but communities are appealing to the government to accelerate the rehabilitation work so that it is completed before the onset of the rains.
Another legacy project that communities say should be completed before the start of the rains is the Gwanda-Maphisa Road, which connects several districts and links important economic hubs such as the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) Antelope Estate, Makwe Irrigation Scheme, two border posts, and tourist attractions in the Matobo Hills area.
