HWANGE Rural District Council (RDC) has set aside an estimated US$361 088.08 for road maintenance this year, with the local authority targeting more than 122 kilometres of its road network for routine maintenance.
The programme covers the council's 328.4km road network and includes gravelling, pothole patching and the maintenance of drainage structures.
According to the RDC’s 2026 annual road maintenance programme, the roadworks and expenditure are spread across the four quarters of the year.
The council said the programme was designed to improve the condition of the roads and enhance safety for motorists and communities using the network.
“The programme provides for routine maintenance activities including gravelling, pothole patching and drainage structure maintenance,” the council said.
It added that the planned interventions were aimed at ensuring that roads remained functional and accessible, while addressing sections that had deteriorated.
“The objective is to enhance road safety and infrastructure through planned maintenance works across the road network.”
The programme provides for different works during each quarter, with associated costs attached to the planned interventions.
- Villagers block racecourse project
- Court sets aside Hwange villagers eviction
- Miners destroy Hwange roads
- Human-wildlife conflict fund on the horizon
Keep Reading
Drainage maintenance is also expected to play a key role in protecting roads from damage caused by water, particularly during the rainy season.
“Maintenance of drainage structures is necessary to protect the road formation and ensure that water is effectively channelled away from the road,” the council said.
Hwange RDC said regular maintenance would help prevent minor defects from developing into major road failures requiring expensive rehabilitation.
The authority's programme also seeks to improve road safety by addressing potholes and other defects that can pose risks to motorists.
The US$361 088.08 budget allocation will be spread across planned activities rather than being directed towards a single road project.
With 328.4km of roads under its jurisdiction, however, the council still faces the challenge of ensuring that available resources are sufficient to cover roads requiring attention.
The 2026 programme sets out the priority maintenance activities and quarterly expenditure in an effort to provide a structured approach to managing the district's road infrastructure.
