The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) yesterday signed a US$50 million deal with Flowtite South Africa to supply the glass fibre reinforced pipes for the Gwayi- Shangani dam and water pipeline construction by year end.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Zinwa chief executive Engineer Taurai Maurukira said the project comprise of three major components of Gwayi-Shangani dam, a pipeline construction from Zambezi River and Gwayi-Shangani dam that would improve the lives of people in Bulawayo and Matebeleland North and Zimbabwe as a whole supplying the water they need.
“The contract being signed today marks yet another giant leap towards the delivery of the long awaited national Matebeleland Zambezi Water Project. The project is comprised of three components, the construction of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam, the construction of 252km long pipeline to draw water from the dam to Bulawayo and the construction of another pipeline from Zambezi River and Gwayi-Shangani Dam,” Eng Maurukira said.
The 252km pipeline will be imported from South Africa which will be covered by US$50 million with 48 percent manufactured locally while Flowlite company would also train the civil contractors and Zinwa staff for enhancing skills.
Flowlite managing director, Mr Ben Mselana said the company will be having its 41st GRP technology in Zimbabwe manufacturing pipes for supply in the country and its export market through the partnership while the projects would help to create employment in the cities
“There are 40 manufacturing plants of GRP technology. We are proud to say that we will be having the 41st in Zimbabwe before year end of the year which will see us manufacturing pipes supply in Zimbabwe and our export market through a partnership with Zinwa.
“We want to ensure that as we develop our infrastructure, we leverage on that to spur jobs and economic participation through various activities,”Mr Mselana said.
Mr Mselana said he is pleased to work with the Zimbabwean government in delivering water to the second city and its objective of growing the economy.
“Our presence through technology and our teams has never been absent from Zimbabwe throughout the years. Fior us, this is once again an opportunity to reaffirm and support Zimbabwe’s Government objective of delivering water to the second city and support its objective of import substitution and growing the economy,” he said.
Flowlite is a giant South African company involved in building services engineering and plumbing services.
