Source: Yellow machines, big dreams, district on deadline – herald
Raymond Jaravaza
FOR years, Maphisa was known as a quiet rural service centre in Matobo District, a place where life moved at an unhurried pace and the days blended gently into each other.
But now, the hum of stillness has been replaced by the thunder of engines and the clatter of construction crews, a new rhythm rolling across the land as major infrastructure projects gather furious momentum ahead of this year’s Independence Day celebrations.
At the centre of this transformation, dozens of yellow construction machines dot the landscape like giant mechanical fireflies, shifting earth, carving roads and breathing life into long awaited dreams. Roads, schools, health facilities, a stadium, an airstrip and a cultural centre — all rising at once — have become the talk of the district, a spectacle so vast that locals struggle to recall anything like it.
For Eveline Moyo, who runs a small shop at Maphisa Shopping Centre, the sight is nothing short of astonishing.
“I have never seen so many yellow machines working in one area in my whole life. It is obvious that a very big event is coming to Maphisa because the machines are everywhere and they are working day and night,” she said.
She speaks with the excitement of someone witnessing history unfold before her eyes.
“My young brother is employed at the stadium and he says they are working around the clock so that everything is completed before the Independence Day celebrations next month.”
One of the most captivating scenes is the construction of Maphisa Stadium, where activity has intensified under the glare of newly installed floodlights that illuminate 24-hour shifts. In this corner of the district, night has become a second day. Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said the floodlights were installed to ensure that nothing delays the April 13 completion deadline.
“Unlike in the past when stadiums were waterlogged after heavy rains, we will not face the same challenges here because engineers have installed a modern drainage system. Rainfall on Independence Day will not be a problem at Maphisa Stadium,” he said.
For months, Matabeleland South Province has felt like a giant hive, buzzing with the efforts of more than 1 000 workers — most of them locals — who toil through sun and rain to shape the district into something extraordinary. The infrastructure drive spans schools, a cultural centre, health facilities, a vocational training centre and roads, each project leaving behind a legacy that will stretch far beyond the celebrations.
At Mahetshe Primary School, which is set to host the Children’s Party, four new classroom blocks have already reached roofing level. Modern ablution facilities are about 80 percent complete, and new teachers’ houses stand like heralds of a better tomorrow.
Minister Garwe said the developments are already improving the quality of education infrastructure in the district.
“For years, learners at both Mahetshe Primary and Mahetshe Secondary schools have relied on Blair toilets, but the Government’s decision to decentralise national events means children here will now benefit from modern flush toilets,” he said.
At Mahetshe Secondary School, the expansion continues: six additional classroom blocks, a science laboratory, new ablution facilities and teachers’ cottages — all rising under the sun like a promise fulfilled.
Meanwhile, a new airstrip is nearing completion, bringing with it the possibility of easier access and fresh tourism potential. Minister Garwe said fencing was essential to protect the runway.
“This is a livestock farming area and movement of cattle, goats and donkeys is common, so fencing is necessary to secure the airstrip,” he said.
A cultural centre is also in its final stretch. Matabeleland South deputy director in the Ministry of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Promise Dube, said the centre is now about 90 percent complete and destined to become a beacon of cultural preservation.
“The idea is to create a centre where visitors, school children and tourists can learn about Ndebele culture,” he said.
The synergy with the new airstrip is deliberate, facilitating seamless access.
“The airstrip will complement this project because visitors will be able to land in Maphisa and easily access the cultural centre. Only minor finishing works remain before the April 5 deadline.”
Officials say these works are not only tied to the upcoming national event but are also clearing a backlog of development that has lingered for years. Provincial director in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Sijabuliso Ncube, said the momentum has revived projects long caught in limbo.
“This is an opportunity we have waited for over many years. Some of these projects have been stalled for too long. What we are seeing is a practical expression of the Second Republic’s commitment that no one and no place should be left behind,” he said.
He pointed to the Filabusi Registry Office, whose construction began in 2004, as one of the projects now inching towards completion. Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic, started in 2006, is also expected to be finished this year.
Matobo district development coordinator, Obey Chaputsira, said employment created through the projects has already brought tangible benefits to local communities.
“In all the sites combined, we have employed close to 1 000 people and 80 percent of them are locals. This means communities are benefiting not only through infrastructure but also through jobs and income,” he said.
He added that surfacing of access roads to key venues would begin within the next two weeks.
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