Technical Services
EXPANDED DO IT YOURSELF (EDIY) STRATEGY
INTRODUCTION
The technical services department has embarked on EXPANDED DO IT YOURSELF (EDIY) and PROJECT LINK strategy as part of service delivery initiatives. This is prompted by the service delivery backlogs versus National imperatives targets in trying to eliminate such service delivery backlogs. In light of the above technical services would like to reinforce Community participation in projects implementation.

The projects covered in this report are in:
  • Tshikundamalema bridge
  • Mafukani bridge
  • Mbodi bridge
  • Tshilamba storm water channel
APPROACH
Members of the community were requested to participate in implementing the projects within their villages on voluntary bases. Community members in the process gained skills/experience in various construction aspects in the case it was bridge construction, material handling and co-ordination of site activities which will make them more employable.
IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
  • All designs and drawing were prepared by The Engineer (Technical services).
  • Supervision of work will be done by Technical services
  • All ward Councilors to communicate/engage community structures about this proposal.
  • List per ward per village for people who are interested in participating in EDIY
  • Consolidated database for all the wards will be compiled and filed at the Municipality for use as and when need per village arise.
  • Projects that will form part of these service delivery initiatives have been identified and will be updated through the ward councilors needs.
MBODI
This is a project is currently in its completion stage where the slab is now being completed and will be opened for use. The volunteers were from the nearby villages that were recruited through the councilors and under the supervision of Mr. Ganyane F.K a member of the Technical Services department at Mutale Municipality.

Details of the project:

Construction of a concrete 50metre slab that will span across the river and used as a bridge. We had a team of 4 permanent employees from the Municipality assisting the volunteers who seemed to be excited about the work they were doing and worked in good relations with the rest of the team.
Volunteers with members of the Mutale Minucipality
assisting. The reason for initiating this project was
to repair the extent of damage that was done by
the heavy rains at the river hence making it impossible to cross.

The construction method used included stone boulders and mesh wire to strengthen the bridge.

Volunteers collecting water from the river used in the construction process.
Partial completion of the slab and concrete pipes for water crossing.
The success of these projects was largely based on the willingness of the volunteers to participate in EDIY and Project because the felt the need to get up and be the change which they want to see in their communities "kholomo hu vuswa I di vusaho" which loosely translated means help comes to those who want to help themselves and this was an initiative by the community with Mutale Local municipality as the driving force to help themselves. It was the same processes that we followed with all the other projects thus bringing the success of EDIY and PROJECT LINK.



The illustration above simply emphasizes on the inter-relationship between the Municipality and the community.

There are other projects that are still taking place in other communities through this initiative:

  • Tshilamba Storm water channel
  • Tshivhonweni, Tshipale and Muraluwe Road maintenance
  • Dzamba Road Maintenance and Storm water management
  • Sigonde village Road maintenance and Storm water management
TSHIKUNDAMALEMA BRIDGE
The community of Tshikundamalema jumped on board EDIY and PROJECT LINK to build a bridge in an area that that was damaged by heavy rains.

In this project there was a bridge that was constructed by the community also with assistance of Mutale municipality.

Tshikundamalema Bridge
Details of the project:

The project entailed the construction of a bridge that spanned across 8 meters of its surface with 4 950ø concrete pipes used as discharge points due to the intensity of the water that needed to be catered for at that point. The successes of this project also depended on the involvement of the community which was very co-operative.
TSHILAMBA STORM WATERCHANNEL
With the success of EDIY a nd PROJECT LINK in other communities it was time we expanded and went to different areas, Tshilamba is in the process of constructing their own storm water channel. The purpose of this channel is to reduce the amount of water that runs on the road during the rainy season thus making it difficult for motorists to use the roads and also increases the risk of accidents.

Details of the project:

This project included the use of stone boulders to do a stone paving drain that would collect the water from the road and transport it on the road side until it reaches a discharge point that will take the water to the river. The activities involved placing the stones in the flow level required and collecting the stones from other communities that were more than willing to assist.