Community members in Maphisa have expressed a mixture of appreciation for development initiatives undertaken ahead of the Independence Day commemorations in the district and concern over unfinished projects that now hang in uncertainty.
Mahetshe village head, Shakespeare Ndlovu, said the community witnessed visible progress in the lead-up to the celebrations, particularly in infrastructure development.
“From day one till the 18th, we are grateful… we saw the hard work. People were working every day,” he said.
Ndlovu cited upgrades at a local school as one of the most notable achievements.
“After independence what they did, especially the school, I can say it was upgraded,” he said.
“What is left now is for the school to produce good results according to how it is.
“At times they used to complain about the infrastructure, but now… the blocks are available, the computers are available.”
However, he stressed that attention must now shift towards ensuring these investments yield results, while also calling for the completion of outstanding infrastructure projects, particularly roads.
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“The road is the major pillar for everything. If there are no roads, there is a huge problem,” Ndlovu said.
He also highlighted the need for sustainability of community projects such as gardens, warning that some initiatives tend to collapse when their original coordinators leave.
“It’s our wish that these projects… none of them disappears,” he added.
Access to water remains another persistent challenge in the area, despite some improvements.
“Our place has no water even if you drill. It becomes difficult to access it. Where the water was found, there was a big change,” Ndlovu said.
While commending the successful hosting of the national event, Ndlovu noted concerns over the organisation of proceedings, particularly around access and seating.
Residents are now watching closely to see whether government and contractors will return to complete projects that were left unfinished ahead of the event.
“At the moment, there is no activity on the ground… we are hoping once the dust settles, they come back and finish those projects,” Ndlovu said.
He cited key outstanding works, including a major road and several internal roads within the district, which had initially been expected to be completed before Independence Day.
A vocational training centre at Nyongolo is also among projects being monitored by the community, with completion reportedly expected in November.
“We will be watching if these projects are being done,” he added.
Echoing similar sentiments, Mncedisi Mavuso Tshabalala, a resident of Johanna Mafuyana Township, acknowledged progress made but said critical infrastructure gaps remain.
“The day has come and passed. We saw everything which happened… the museum was done, Nyongolo youth centre is taking shape even though it’s not complete,” he said.
He expressed concern over the state of the Bulawayo–Maphisa road, describing it as significantly deteriorated despite ongoing works.
“The road is still like that… worse than what it was before because where there was tar before, it was peeled off and they couldn’t restore it,” he said.
Tshabalala said residents are hopeful that contractors will return to complete the tarring process following the celebrations.
He also raised expectations that national recognition of liberation icons could have been further addressed during the event.
“We were looking forward to hear them declare Joshua Nkomo Day — July 1 — to become a holiday… it’s of importance that he has a day where we will be remembering him,” Tshabalala said.
Zimbabwe currently commemorates the late former president Robert Mugabe on February 21, while other regional leaders such as South Africa’s Nelson Mandela and Botswana’s Seretse Khama are also honoured through national days.
Meanwhile, concerns over the state of the Bulawayo–Kezi road have also drawn attention from Bulawayo mayor David Coltart, who described the route as “extremely dangerous” despite ongoing construction works.
Coltart noted that while grading had been done along much of the road, the project remained incomplete, with narrow bridges and damaged tar sections posing risks to motorists.
“I recognised that contractors are still on site… so remain hopeful that they will remain on the road until it has been completed,” he said.
However, he warned against the possibility of contractors abandoning the project after Independence Day.
Independence Day celebrations are often accompanied by accelerated infrastructure development in host provinces, including road rehabilitation, public facility upgrades and community projects.
In Matabeleland South, preparations included improvements to selected schools, roadworks, and the construction of facilities such as the Nyongolo vocational training centre.
However, as the celebrations conclude, residents in Maphisa say the true measure of success will lie not in what was started, but in what is ultimately completed.
