By Desire Tshuma
Harare — Government officials have toured infrastructure projects across Harare Metropolitan Province to showcase development work underway and assess progress on key sites, including a new trading complex for entrepreneurs displaced from the fire-prone Glen View 8 area.
The tour, which started in Chemhanza, Glen View, before proceeding to Glen View Area 8, was led by the acting Minister of Information, Media and Publicity, Hon Professor Paul Mavhima, and the Minister of Harare Metropolitan and Devolution, Honourable Charles Tawengwa.
“The purpose of our tour is to just do a view of the projects that are running within Harare Metropolitan Province,” Hon Prof Mavhima said. “You know that the Second Republic is on steroids as far as the development of basic infrastructure, urban social amenities, are concerned.”
He said the tour was meant to show residents of Harare what is happening on the ground.
“So, our purpose today is to showcase the infrastructure projects that are running in the city, in the Metropolitan Province of Harare. This is why we are here with Honourable Tawengwa, who is our Minister for the Province and for Devolution. We want Zimbabwe, we want Harare to know what is happening,” he said.
A major focus of the tour was the Glen View project, a collaboration between the City of Harare, national government and civil society to provide safe working spaces for entrepreneurs who have been operating in the fire-prone area of Glen View 8.
“The designs that are coming out here are very much fire-resistant designs, in terms of the structures that are going to be put up, but also in terms of the environs. Fire guards are going to be there. One other thing that I am very impressed with here is the provision of adequate ablution and wash facilities. And that is the starting point of this construction. After that, they are going to put the actual structures,” Hon Tawengwa said.
Massive on-site infrastructure development is also underway.
The project is expected to provide facilities for 3,500 entrepreneurs — more than double the 1,500 currently registered at Glen View 8.
“One other impressive thing about this is that it’s going to house, it’s going to provide facilities to 3,500 entrepreneurs, and that’s massive. It’s a game changer, because registered at Glen View 8 are about 1,500. This is going to be more than double of what is available at Glen View 8,” Hon Tawengwa said.
However, the project is behind schedule due to funding challenges.
“We have been told that there are some hiccups here and there with financing, and we will sit down as government to find financial engineering models that can quicken the process of construction, because we want this to be completed as quickly as possible,” Hon Prof Mavhima said.
Officials on site confirmed the delays.
“In terms of progress, we are behind schedule. It should have been completed, almost by now we should be 85% or so. But, due to lack of funding, we are running behind schedule,” Hon Tawengwa said.
“Government will find other ways to fund this programme, which funding we hope will be availed as quickly as possible so that the people who are currently trading in Area 8 will move to this area,” he added.
The old Area 8 site will also be upgraded into another working space for people in Glen View, Harare and Chitungwiza.
Officials hope the new facility will be completed within the next four months, giving traders safe and productive places to work from.