Type to search

Beitbridge to terminate US$435k bus rank contract

Latest News

Beitbridge to terminate US$435k bus rank contract

Share

Ellen Mlambo
TWO NATIONS REPORTER


BEITBRIDGE – Beitbridge Town Council is seriously considering the termination of a US$435 000 Dulivhadzimu Bus Rank facelift contract entered into with a company called Ultra Construction.
Beitbridge Town Clerk Loud Ramakgapola revealed this during a full council meeting on Monday which saw councilors touring sites of projects being undertaken by the local authority.
Councilors asked to tour council projects after some city fathers complained that work was going on at a snail’s pace to the extent that some projects are not reaching completion.


Ultra Construction was the successful bidder for the same project on three different occasions but did very little on each of those times. Ramakgapola told councillors that Ultra Construction first won the tender in 2018 but could not do much work after complaining that the Zim dollar lost value and he could therefore not continue with the work.
The project was tendered for the second time and Ultra Construction won the bid but refused to start the project again because the payment would be in Zim dollars.
There was therefore a third tender last year and again Ultra Construction won the project but is yet to get onto site. Ramakgapola said that the local authority is already in the process of terminating the contract.


The project is being funded by the local authority using borrowing powers from Government.
“We are disappointed by the lack of progress at the bus rank. We met the contractor in April and we agreed that he must be back on site by April 19, 2022 or we cancel the contract. Last week we wrote a letter advising that we will cancel the contract if we do not hear from him by June 3, 2022. We are therefore already in that process,” he said.
The facelift work involves the construction of parameter walls, drainage system, two cloak rooms for safekeeping of people’s properties, pavements, market stalls and sheds.


Ramakgapola said the local authority is losing a lot of revenue since buses are parking at an open space. The refurbished rank will reduce muggings because of its security features
The motion to tour council projects came from the recently re-elected Ward 4 councillor Morgan Ncube and was supported by other councilors.
The other projects that have been outstanding for some are the bulk market in Ward 4, the public tower light in Ward 6 and several roads.
“These projects have remained at infant stage since we were elected in 2018 and it’s embarrassing to continue coming for meetings without implementation,” said Councilor Granger Nyoni.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

error

Enjoy our stories? Please spread the word: