Source: Navigating potholes, future of road maintenance – herald
Ivan Zhakata
Check Point Desk
AN investigation into Harare’s collapsing road network has revealed that motorists are effectively paying twice for road maintenance — first through formal taxes and levies, and again through neighbourhood fundraising, private contractors and even informal roadside “repair crews” who solicit money from drivers.
Interviews with residents, community leaders and council officials show a widening gap between what Harare motorists are charged in mandatory road-related payments and the actual service delivered on the ground.
The result is a system where residents in both affluent and middle-income suburbs are increasingly financing their own road repairs while the city struggles to justify how road funds are used.
In Borrowdale, residents have been collecting money through their association to patch potholes and grade roads that fall under the City of Harare’s jurisdiction.
Borrowdale Residents and Ratepayers Association (BRRA) chairperson Robert Mutyasira, in a recent meeting, confirmed that residents were funding the repairs directly.
“Community development precedes national development. If we do not act, no one else will. Residents are filling the gap left by the council,” he said.
In Avondale and Chisipite, the investigation found informal repairers stationed on key intersections, filling potholes with rubble before requesting donations from passing motorists.
One of the men, who works near the Avondale shopping area, admitted that the demand for road repairs has allowed informal crews to flourish.
“I ask for donations from those who want to help me,” he said, adding that he earned more than he did in his previous informal job.
The City of Harare, however, insisted the situation was a result of a funding crisis.
Mayor Jacob Mafume recently admitted that the council had failed to procure tar for months because funds remitted from the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) and City Parking had been garnished.
“We have had to use dust and soil for patching because we cannot get tar,” he said.
“The roads are in a parlous state and we are doing the best we can under the circumstances.”
A senior council engineer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the budget priorities were disconnected from reality.
“You cannot say there is no money for tar when the council is buying new vehicles,” the engineer said.
“The truth is, the roads are not a priority until residents start complaining loudly.”
Drivers then pay vehicle repair bills averaging hundreds of dollars annually due to pothole damage.
And finally, they contribute to neighbourhood fundraising or pay roadside crews who provide temporary fixes.
A Highlands resident Mr Steward Mukaro, described it as a legalised double taxation.
“We pay the fuel levy, we pay licensing, we pay rates. Then we contribute to the suburb fund.
“And then we still replace tyres and shocks every few months. It is a never-ending cycle,” he said.
The situation has also deepened inequality across Harare.
In affluent suburbs like Borrowdale and Chisipite, residents can pool resources and hire contractors to stabilise their roads.
In high-density suburbs such as Kuwadzana, Budiriro and Glen Norah residents have no such capacity, leaving roads virtually impassable for months.
A commuter from Kuwadzana, Ms Revai Chitepo, said the contrast was stark.
“You see photos of Borrowdale roads being repaired by residents, but here we wait for the council. Nothing happens.
We cannot even raise US$1 for a donation, let alone thousands for a contractor.”
The current system is unsustainable and undermines confidence in public institutions.
A transport economist, Mr Tafadzwa Dodzo, who reviewed Zinara disbursement patterns, said the city’s road maintenance framework is broken at every link.
“Residents should not be running parallel road departments,” said Mr Dodzo.
“The levies being collected are enough for basic maintenance if managed properly. The problem is leakages, delays and misplaced priorities.”
Despite public outcry, the City of Harare has not released a full audit of its road maintenance budget.
Zinara has also been criticised for opaque funding allocations that appear inconsistent with the scale of Harare’s road network.
Zinara spokesperson Mr Tendai Mugabe was unavailable when contacted for comment.
Meanwhile, the potholes deepen — and so does the financial burden on motorists who say they are stuck paying for the same service twice.
An Avondale driver, Mr Denford Mutibvu, said: “The roads are proof that we are being charged but not served.”
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