Harare, Zimbabwe – Temba Mliswa has voiced strong criticism against the road construction company ‘Instant Tar’ responsible for the recent works on Harare Drive, citing poor workmanship and lack of proper quality control.
In a video he recorded while driving through the newly constructed road, Mliswa expressed his frustration over the substandard quality of the drive, which he described as far from smooth. His concerns come at a time when Harare is undergoing significant infrastructural improvements in preparation for the upcoming SADC Summit.
“There has been so much movement in a bid to spruce up Harare in preparation for the SADC Summit but some of the work is downright shoddy. It’s almost like the roads are meant only for the Summit and it doesn’t matter if they revert to their bad state soon after,” Mliswa remarked, emphasizing the temporary nature of the repairs.
He pointed out specific issues with the road’s construction, stating, “The road makeup is wrong, you have a layer of melting smooth bitumen peeling off. The base layer is not compacted, it will separate, no two ways about it. No engineers to check these things, it’s sad.”
Mliswa also highlighted the problem of tenders being awarded to government officials instead of professional contractors, which he believes is the root cause of the subpar quality. “If this tender was not given to government officials but to proper contractors, this wouldn’t be happening. Thanks, honourable, for speaking out about this,” he added.
The video and Mliswa’s comments have sparked discussions about the accountability and standards of infrastructure projects in the city, particularly those rushed for high-profile events like the SADC Summit.
There is a growing call for greater transparency and engagement of qualified professionals to ensure sustainable and quality public works.
As Harare continues its preparations for the summit, Mliswa’s outburst serves as a reminder of the importance of not just timely, but also high-quality, infrastructural development.
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