GWERU CONTRACTOR PAID US$360K, VANISHES AFTER SHODDY JOB

In a typical example of business clumsiness, Gweru City Council has allowed a contractor paid US$360 000 for the installation of solar-powered traffic lights 10 years ago to disappear after doing a shoddy job.

The traffic lights are on the main robot-controlled intersections in the country’s third largest city. 

Gweru Mayor Hamutendi Kumbayi confirmed the case to The Mirror and said the local authority is engaging Emobuild Construction, the contractor over the matter.

The US$360 000 received by Emobuild was part payment for the agreed US$500 000 for the whole job.

Gweru Acting Town Clerk Vakayi Chikwekwe said the local authority has since dragged Emobuild to court for the shoddy job after 90%t of the installed traffic lights developed faults and became dysfunctional with the contractor refusing to take the blame.

Effort to get comment from Emobuild were fruitless as his mobile was not reachable.

Motorists have expressed concern at the number of accidents  reported at the intersection as a result of the absence of working traffic lights. 

“Our worry is that council paid the contractor almost three quarters of the agreed amount for the traffic lights which only worked for less than a month about 10 years ago.

“As the Mayor, I say that the matter be dealt with as a matter of urgency because we are doing a disservice to our residents and motorists who pass through the city.

“Robots are an integral part of the city centre as they ensure that there is an orderly flow of traffic hence they need to be installed urgently,” he said. 

Chikwekwe said that Emobuild should meet costs of damages claimed from council by motorists who were involved in accidents at these robot-controlled intersections.

“The agreement between Emobuild and council was signed 10 years back and the company was paid US$360 000 out of US$500 000 after installing the traffic lights. 

“The lights became dysfunctional a month later. We took the matter to the courts and the case is now under arbitration. 

Our hands are tied and we can’t do anything but waiting for the arbitrator to complete the case and then we find the way forward,” he said. 

Ward 11 Councillor Albert Chirau said there was need to re-tender the job to address the increasing number of accidents. Masvingo Mirror

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