Ministry of Transport warns against mining on road servitudes
Brian Rungano Temba
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has issued a statement via their socials against vandals that are destroying roads via mining activities on road servitudes.
“The Ministry noted with great concern the numerous cases of illegal mining on the road and railway track servitudes with the recent case in Matabeleland South Province which has recorded various cases of illegal mining on the road at the 144,7 km peg between Gwanda and Collen Bawn. Illegal miners tunneled through around close to 4m under the road surface and a crack emerged directly above the tunnel due to heavy rains,” read their statement on Facebook.
“The Ministry through the Department of Roads and relevant stakeholders including EMA, Ministry of Mines and ZRP agencies carried a joint investigation to assess the extent of the damage on the road. As an interim remedial intervention, the Department of Roads managed to backfill all the openings to prevent rain water runoff from infiltrating the ground through the opening and erected a signage to alert motorists to exercise extreme caution as they go through the section of the road,” further reads the statement.
The Ministry encouraged the general public not to vandalise public infrastructure as this is detrimental to country’s development. They also appealed to the public to report such activities so that the culprits will be brought before justice.
Other roads that have been subjected to illegal mining include the Bulawayo Beitbridge railway track, Masvingo Mbalabala Road, other sections of Bulawayo Beitbridge Road, Maphis Mphoengs Road, Old Gwanda Road and Makwe Road under the jurisdiction of the Gwanda Rural District Council.
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