A State of Disaster on the Deka Road belonging to Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development

Yesterday, Hwange was comforted  by the statement from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works led Minister Daniel Garwe on behalf of his Excellency Dr ED Mnangagwa. The President declared Deka Road, a state of disaster after 8 people lost their lives and 6 seriously injured.

So, I would like to make a follow up on the opinion piece published by Harare Opinion before the statement by Ministry of Local Government and Public Works came through. I alluded that Deka Road was under Hwange Rural District Council (HRDC). I was wrong.  The road is actually under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development.  It has been under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development since 1980. Of Course HRDC manages dust roads, it has no tarred road. It was a far fetched praise giving Deka Road as a responsibility to HRDC. The CEO of HRDC, Phindile Ncube, should be fuming wherever he is. But we are old time friends. 

Okay, what caused the accident leading to the road a state of disaster.  On  Hwange whatsApp groups, I provoked the debate. Some said it was reckless driving by the driver, Fanuel Mathe, who is currently in Hwange Police custody. Other said no  it was the small narrowed Deka Drum Bridge. I agreed with both perspectives. I said it was both! So here is the argument.

This is not the first accident on Deka Drum Bridge and it won't be the last. Many have died there. Drivers always make mistakes on the same spot. It is said the bridge is very narrow. If not careful, cars always collide, resulting in loss of lives. 

But here is the surprise. The same road leads to mines, tourism along the Zambezi River. Most companies in mining and tourism are using that road, yet the bridge remains a dangerous spot. The very companies have never bothered to exercise social responsibility by widening the bridge. Even the road, remains dusty and potholed as trucks damage it more. "The ministry of transport should at least collect a social responsibility fund from these companies to fix the road and the bridge" said one of the Hwangerians.

Of course, the road is not a main road unlike Bulawayo- Vic Falls but it is a Forex earning road that leads to mines and tourism zones. The fatal accident goes as a remainder that, the narrow deka bridge road remains a danger to many lives. If not fixed, another driver will break again in the near future as long as people still use the road. Hence, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has greater responsibility to put a halt on the blaming of the road. The blame should be left to reckless driving alone, soon as the bridge is widened.