By A Correspondent- Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has called on parliamentary portfolio committees to table on time their various reports if parliament is to make meaningful and timeous contributions towards the implementation of findings and recommendations.
Mliswa said this soon after the presentation of a report by the portfolio committee on local government, public works and national housing on Peace and Security on the assessment of progress made in areas affected by floods and on construction of Covid-19 treatment, quarantine and isolation facilities.
Said Mliswa:
“On a point of order Madam Speaker, I think it is a very good report but at times overtaken by events. As you sit here you are probably saying quarantine centers this and that yet that time of quarantine centres is when those reports were coming.
So, through your administration can these reports come in timely so that we can debate for it to make sense. At times we are overtaken by events. Not to do away with the reports but how do I talk about COVID quarantine centers now when they are no longer there? That is my contribution.”
We publish below the full text of the report as tabled before parliament:
REPORT OF THE JOINT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL HOUSING AND THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON PEACE AND SECURITY ON THE ASSESSMENT OF PROGRESS MADE IN AREAS AFFECTED BY FLOODS AND ON CONSTRUCTION OF COVID 19 TREATMENT, QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION FACILITTIES
HON. CHIKUKWA: I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the Report of the Joint Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and the Thematic Committee on Peace and Security on the assessment of progress made in areas affected by floods and on construction of COVID-19 treatment, quarantine and isolation facilities.
HON. MARKAHAM: I second.
HON. CHIKUKWA:
1.0 Introduction
1.1 The Joint Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and the Thematic Committee on Peace and Security resolved to conduct an assessment of progress made in areas affected by floods and construction of COVID-19 Centres as part of their oversight role. The Joint Committee was concerned that the occurrence of floods and disasters was on the rise due to the climate change phenomenon and thus opted to give it priority. The Joint Committee also sought to assess the preparedness of the country in managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
1.2 The Committee noted the importance for Zimbabwe to have a robust framework for managing floods and health disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It is thus indisputable that the development of such a framework is critical to ensure that there are safe and resilient communities. Therefore, the provision of critical services by the entities tasked to provide such responsibilities is key to human and economic development.
2.0 Objectives of the visits
2.1 To determine the extent of damage caused by the floods in Manicaland, Masvingo and Matebeleland North Provinces;
2.2 To assess the progress made in reconstruction works in areas affected by Cyclone Idai;
2.3 To assess the construction works for COVID-19 Centres; and
2.4 To appreciate the challenges faced during floods and other disaster management.
3.0 Methodology
3.1 The Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing received oral evidence from the Minister of Local Government and Public Works on the state of preparedness of local authorities to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequently, the Joint Committee visited Tsholotsho in Matebeleland North, Beitbridge and Plumtree in Matebeleland South Province, Bulawayo, Kopa, Ngangu and Chipinge in Manicaland Province, Masvingo and Bikita in Masvingo Province. The Committee held meetings with District Development Coordinators (DDC), Local Authorities Officials and health personnel in the areas visited. The Committee also conducted tours of some areas that were affected and rehabilitated following flood disasters and the health facilities that were under construction in response to the pandemic.
4.0 Committee’s Findings
4.1 Oral Evidence from the Minister of Local Government and Public Works on Management of COVID-19 pandemic by the Ministry
4.1.1 The Portfolio Committee received oral evidence from the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing on the state of preparedness by local authorities to deal with COVID-19 pandemic on 27 May 2020. This inquiry laid the foundation for the subsequent verification visits. The Minister mentioned that Government had taken a multi-sectoral approach in managing the pandemic by engaging many stakeholders across all sectors. The Ministry had also capacitated all local authorities to be able to manage the pandemic. This included training of staff and upgrading local clinics and hospitals that fall under the Ministry’s purview. The Minister informed the Committee that provincial and infectious diseases hospitals such as Wilkins which were normally under the management of local authorities had been transferred to the Ministry of Health and Child Care in a bid to ensure coordination in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
4.1.2 The Committee also gathered from the presentation that the Ministry activated all local government structures in a bid to widen the coverage of information dissemination to communities. The Traditional Leaders received diesel and fuel from His Excellency, the President to assist them in disseminating information on COVID-19. Moreover, local authorities were urged to ensure that there was adequate and continuous water supply as this was critical in the fight against the pandemic. The local authorities were also urged to use the lockdown period to clean up areas under their jurisdictions which included bus termini and vending stalls. The Minister informed the Committee that ZWL$1 billion was disbursed to local authorities to assist in the management of the pandemic.
4.2 Flood and Flood Disaster Management
4.2.1 In Chipinge and Chimanimani, the Committee was appalled to learn that most of the survivors of Cyclone Idai were still living in tents, despite the commitment from Government to provide proper housing facilities. At the time of the Committee’s visit, no houses had been constructed for the survivors of the Cyclone. The Committee learnt from the survivors in Chimanimani that the local authority had sited land for housing development in the Westend, Greenmount, Bumba and Nhedziwa areas. In Nhedziwa, the local authority had gone a step further by drilling two boreholes and subsequently pegged and allocated stands. However, as gathered from the District Development Coordinator (DDC) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Chimanimani Rural District Council (RDC), the local authority received telephone communication purported to be from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to the effect that development of that area should be stopped. Consequently, over 12 months later, even those with the capacity to construct their own accommodation facilities were still living in the tents most of which were tattered.
4.2.2 The Committee was informed during its first fact finding visit to Chimanimani District in July 2019 that Econet Wireless had pledged to build houses for the survivors of the Cyclone Idai. Upon enquiry on the progress made in that regard, the Committee was notified that there was a disagreement between Econet and Government pertaining to the ownership of the land. The DDC informed the Committee that Econet Wireless wanted title to the land on which the houses would be built but Government was against the idea. Giving title of the land to Econet Wireless implied that Government was ceding ownership and control of the land as well as the project to Econet Wireless. Resultantly, due to that impasse the project had stalled.
4.2.3 The Committee noted that the people who were still living in the camps did not have adequate WASH facilities, lighting and enough food for their families. These were the same sentiments raised over a year ago when the Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing visited the area. The Committee gathered from representatives from the Social Welfare Department in Chimanimani that development partners such as World Vision had wrapped up their nine month lean season programmes and this had affected food security in the region. The Committee gathered from the survivors that indeed they were living in conditions of severe food insecurity and this situation was exacerbated by the alleged rampant corruption in the selection of beneficiaries and the distribution of food aid. In Kopa, the Committee learnt from the survivors that in their camp, there were two child-headed families that were constantly left out of any food aid programmes. Upon further enquiry from the representatives of the Social Welfare Department in Chimanimani, the Committee gathered that the Department was not aware of this situation and was going to urgently rectify it.
4.2.4 The Committee also visited Bikita Rural District Council to assess the state of damage and rehabilitation in the area following the Cyclone Idai. The DDC of Bikita expressed gratitude for the assistance they received from the Government as well as the civil society. However, of concern to the DDC was the location of Mandara School which is at the foot of a mountain and facing the risk of rock falls. The DDC suggested that the school should be relocated to a safer place. The Committee was informed that a team of Engineers from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works suggested that instead of relocating the school, there was need to build a retaining wall which was said to be adequate to stop the impending rock falls. However, the DDC indicated that the team of Public Works engineers who went to assess the state of the District after the Cyclone did not give feedback to the Public Works department of Bikita RDC pertaining to their findings. Resultantly, the Council did not have enough information on the possible courses of action to take to address the damages caused by the Cyclone.
4.2.5 In Chipinge, Chimanimani and Bikita areas, the Committee was informed by the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) representatives that the Unit was severely incapacitated to deal with flood disasters. This severe incapacitation had also impacted negatively against the Unit’s ability to respond efficiently and effectively to disasters. The CPU highlighted to the Committee that it was in urgent need of recapitalisation before the onset of the 2020-2021 rainy season which was expected to have above average rainfalls.
4.2.6 Tsholotsho District was affected by floods that destroyed housing and social infrastructure in 2017 and the Government responded by constructing houses for the survivors of the disaster. A total of 303 people were affected by Cyclone Dineo in 2017 in Ward 5 and 6 resulting in the creation of settlement sites in Tshino and Saudweni. Each family was ideally supposed to be handed over a three-bedroom house, one blair toilet and a kitchen detached from the main house. At Tshino site 143 houses were established. Of these, 11 had their roofs blown off by wind and 8 houses were yet to be roofed. A total of 61 more houses needed to be constructed, with about 20 families in dire need of accommodation as they were still housed in tattered tents. A total of 143 toilets were constructed and 130 were not yet roofed. At Saudweni Resettlement Site, 122 out of the expected 176 houses were constructed. At this site, more than 50 people were still living in tents. At both sites, no kitchen has been constructed. Discussions with those who had new homes revealed that most of the homes were too small for the families because they have big families and practice polygamy. These sentiments were also echoed in Chimanimani by those who were still living in tents. Below is a picture of the tents housing victims of floods in Chimanimani at Ngangu camp. ![]()
Tents for victims of Cyclone Idai
4.2.7 Rehabilitation works in the area damaged by flash floods in Tsholotsho, were yet to commence. Some of those houses constructed had started cracking pointing to the poor workmanship. The resettled people in Tsholotsho complained that the area of 5250m2 tract of land they were allocated was not adequate for other activities such as cultivation and livestock rearing. The Committees were informed that the area provided was meant for residential purposes only. For agricultural purposes, the victims were expected to utilise the land which they previously occupied. The Committee inquired on whether those who lost their homes and cattle in the floods were going to be compensated. The Provincial Development Coordinator (PDC) submitted that there were no plans to compensate the victims as far as infrastructure was concerned. It was, however, explained that discussions with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Extension (AREX) were underway for compensation of livestock subject to availability of funds.
4.2.8 During the tour in Tsholotsho, the Committee observed that most of the toilets were not roofed. The Public Works Department explained that the toilets were being built in stages and the builders were yet to receive roofing materials. The Department informed the Committee that those with their own funds could proceed with the roofing. The new homes had no detached kitchens as per the traditional and rural setup. The Department of Works explained that detached kitchens were part of the scheme but the challenge was that no funds were yet availed for the kitchens.
4.3 COVID-19 Quarantine, Isolation and Treatment Facilities
4.3.1 The issue raised in all local authorities and health facilities visited was that the centralisation of COVID-19 testing was affecting their ability to swiftly respond to possible cases of the virus. They bemoaned the inefficiency of the setup where they had to send blood samples to Harare or Bulawayo for testing due to lack of capacity to test. During the Committee’s visit to Masvingo, the District Medical Officer explained that they were yet to receive results of the samples many days after they were sent to Harare for testing. Yet, in instances where they have the testing kits and Gene Expert cartridges, they usually get results within two days of getting the samples.
4.3.2 The same concern was raised in Bikita, Matebeleland South and Beitbridge. Further, the Committee learnt that there were extensive construction works underway in all the local authorities visited. The refurbished and new buildings would be used as wards or quarantine centres for returnees or those infected by the virus. In most of the areas visited, construction works were at an advanced level. However, presentations from the Provincial/District Development Coordinators bemoaned the lack of adequate funding and manpower to expedite the construction processes.
4.3.3 At United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH), the Acting CEO gave a brief on the status of the progress made on the quarantine and isolation centres at UBH. The CEO informed the Committee that trainings in COVID-19 were conducted to all levels of health workers and the trainings was still ongoing. As of 6 July 2020, 806 health workers had been trained. The hospital resolved to have a standalone building detached from the rest of the hospital as an isolation centre. Hence, they converted what was formerly the old people’s home which had a carrying capacity of 100 beds. The elderly people were transferred to Ekuphumuleni. Of these, 14 would be designated for the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 18 for High Dependency Unit (HDU). For treatment purposes, the hospital was using first line medication or earlier versions of COVID-19 drugs since the more recent versions were not yet in the country.
4.3.4 The Acting CEO submitted that stakeholders chipped in with donations, for example, Higher Life Foundation donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Stanbic Bank donated a miniature ventilator. Red Cross had pledged to supply two ventilators for the hospital. Due to the nature of the disease, which is highly contagious, UBH aimed at having staff entirely dedicated to the COVID-19 centre. Some of its staff was seconded to other hospitals dealing with COVID-19 especially Mpilo Hospital. The Committee was informed that the construction works were relatively lagging behind as compared to centres in Harare because comprehensive feasibility studies had to be conducted first. To curb the issue of escapees from quarantine centres, the hospital recruited 72 guards and had a Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Base Station at the hospital.
4.3.5 The construction works that began in early May 2020 were expected to be completed by mid-August 2020. The Medical gas reticulation system was now being installed. The theatre was being modified to fit infection control mechanisms. He further submitted that tubing for oxygen supply was still underway. Upon completion, the facility would be assessed by Ministry of Health and Child Care as well as World Health Organisation (WHO) to check compliance with the standards set for COVID-19 facilities. As per WHO standards, the technicians were using steel for door frames and sinks. Bathroom cubicles will be put in the wards to avoid patients moving in and out of their rooms. Bells would be put in the wards for the convenience of the patients and closed Circuit Television (CCTV) system would also be installed to ensure security. The Committee was informed that Treasury had released ZWL$42 million for the construction works.
4.3.6 In Tsholotsho, The DDC submitted that on the onset of the pandemic, all Quarantine Centres in the province were in Victoria Falls since it was considered the COVID-19 hotspot. The Quarantine Centres were later decentralised to district levels.
4.3.7 Tsholotsho District identified DDF Training Centre as a Quarantine Centre, however, it was in need of massive rehabilitation. The centre had an estimated carrying capacity of 40 people. Officials from Public Works came up with a bill of quantities amounting to ZWL$2 million which was submitted for funding through the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works but no works had commenced. Tsholotsho District Hospital converted the Female Ward into an Isolation Centre. The Department of Public Works had started refurbishment of the Isolation Centre which had a holding capacity of 40 people once properly completed. The hospital was in need of 10 mattresses to add to the 30 which it already had. No Intensive Care Unit was established due to lack of equipment. For ICU facilities in the district, there were efforts to refurbish St Luke’s Hospital in Lupane. The hospital had one ambulance set aside for COVID-19 cases. The ambulance was functional, albeit in need of maintenance. The Council further submitted that it was in urgent need of a booster pump to increase water pressure to the isolation centre and an alternative power source.
4.3.8 In Plumtree, the Committee was informed by the Provincial Development Coordinator that Plumtree has two districts namely Mangwe and Bulilima. On 1 April 2020 Mangwe district had received 110 returnees from Botswana. The district taskforce identified Plumtree High School as a Quarantine Centre with a capacity to hold 350 people though at one point the centre held more than 500 returnees. As the number of returnees ballooned at the Quarantine Centres, the district identified Redfern School as a Quarantine Centre. As another way to decongest Plumtree High School, the district transferred some male inmates to Bulawayo Polytechnic and female inmates to United College Education. Later on, a decision was made to further transfer people to their respective provinces after profiling. In Plumtree, there was no quarantine centre considering that it was a border town which received a huge number of returnees. An official from the Public Works department took the Committee on a tour of a ‘Quarantine Centre’ and the Committee was shown a tract of land with no building in sight. The official, belaboured to explain why construction works had not commenced, a situation which left more questions than answers.
4.3.9 Mangwe lies on the Zimbabwean border with Botswana, a border which is highly porous. The Committee was informed that the district remained alert and continuously monitored and sensitised communities to report illegal entries as a way of curbing a spike in cases of COVID-19. The district identified the Plumtree District Hospital Old TB ward with a capacity of 30 beds as an Isolation Centre. However, due to partitioning of the ward, the carrying capacity was reduced to 21. The district also identified Brunapeg Hospital which is 120 km from Plumtree, as another Isolation Centre. This Isolation Centre had a capacity of 15 beds. While the district had instituted seemingly robust measures to increase vigilance in communities, the Security brief outlined that the porosity of the borders posed a colossal impediment in the fight against COVID-19 and illegal immigrants.
4.3.10 Similarly, the Security brief in Beitbridge also revealed the glaring discrepancies in the manning of our borders. The Committee gathered that in Beitbridge, the police force had one vehicle to monitor over 200 kilometres of the border area. Furthermore, the human capital base was heavily depleted and the few that were there were unmotivated. The Committee learnt that most of them had last received their transport and subsistence allowances in 2005, a situation which could compromise the security of the country and the integrity of the Police force.
4.3.11The Committee was informed that after the Cabinet decision on 9 June 2020 to decommission schools as Quarantine Centres, the district was left with no Quarantine Centre. The District Taskforce identified Avoca Training Centre which is 30 kilometres away from Plumtree Town as an alternative Quarantine Centre. Assessment visits and bills of quantities were done but the construction works requires a huge capital outlay. The Taskforce also identified the Plumtree Reception and Support Centre as an alternative stopover centre for registration and profiling of returnees before proceeding to their respective Provincial Quarantine Centres…
HON. CHIKUKWA: I was on 4.3.12.
4.3.12 In Beitbridge the Committee learnt that Beitbridge had a huge responsibility of receiving returnees from South Africa considering a sizeable number of Zimbabweans domiciled in South Africa who were returning back home as many menial jobs were affected by lockdown. Apart from that, they received people of Malawian and Zambian origins who had to pass through Zimbabwe. The Committee was informed that the Rainbow Hotel owned by the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) Hotel was used as a Quarantine Centre in the area. The Hotel has a capacity to hold 280 inmates. The Department of Social Welfare and Ministry of Health and Child Care were taking a lead in managing the Hotel. Social Welfare was responsible for the welfare of inmates and provision of transport for returnees to their respective Provincial Centres. As at 9 July 2020, 4941 people were transported to their various provinces, 12 people were in the quarantine centre and 27 people were in the isolation centre.
4.3.13 The Committees were informed that the NSSA Hotel quarantine centre was in need of two mobile toilets. There was also need of a drain cleaner and a laundry machine. Apart from that, cold rooms, industrial pots and bins were needed. Furthermore, there was also need for a bus based at Beitbridge for expeditious transportation of returnees. Apart from NSSA Hotel, the Beitbridge Council identified a female Ward at Beitbridge Hospital which had a carrying capacity of 40 as an isolation centre. The Committee was informed that the female ward had been converted into an isolation centre. The District also identified another quarantine centre which needed renovations at Dulibadzimu. The District Medical Officer opined that they were required to do PCR tests before they transport inmates to their respective quarantine centres. They had managed to mobilise two more PCR testing machines. Econet Wireless Company had pledged to help with two more machines. One of the machines would be stationed at the border with a capacity to process 20 samples simultaneously. The Committee was made aware of the acute shortage of manpower in the health, public works and security sectors. In the District, for example, the Public Works department in Beitbridge had a staff complement of 10 against the required 22 people. This had affected the departments’ efficiency in carrying out their mandates especially in the face of the pandemic.
5.0 Committee’s Observations
5.1 The Committee made the following observations:
5.1.1 The people who were affected by the Cyclone Idai floods were still living in tents and education and health facilities were yet to be fully rehabilitated. The situation was pathetic because most of the tents were tattered and not fit for human habitation.
5.1.2 There was lack of adequate monitoring of reconstructions of houses of victims of floods and damaged infrastructure, resulting in most of the projects not completed and some projects not implemented at all.
5.1.3 The Civil Protection Unit need to have adequate human and financial resources for it to be able to effectively and efficiently respond to disasters. The Civil Protection Unit also needed requis
5.1.4 The Committee noted the need for the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare to provide adequate food and other basic needs in the camps and quarantine centres.
5.1.5 The Committee noted with dismay the delay in reconstruction of damaged infrastructure by Cyclone as witnessed by some bridges in Chipinge district which were yet to be reconstructed thus presenting challenges in moving around the areas.
5.1.6.The delay in the supply and delivery of materials necessary for construction and rehabilitation of houses and social infrastructure delayed the completion of the housing programmes in the affected areas.
5.1.7.The COVID-19 treatment, quarantine and isolation facilities in some areas were sub-standard and needed to be rehabilitated.
5.1.8 Most of the quarantine/isolation centres visited needed improvement in terms of security to curb the chances of inmates escaping from the centres.
5.1.9 Most departments involved in handling the COVID-19 cases were facing operational challenges in terms of inadequate funding, shortages of vehicles and inadequate accommodation in the centres created, resulting in failure to respond efficiently to the pandemic.
5.1.10 At the time of the Committee’s visit, the screening, profiling and registration of returnees and inmates was being done manually and as a result was taking long. The Committee felt that the manual process increases the risk of infection to both the staff manning the centres and those who are being screened for COVID-19.
5.1.11 There was lack of decentralisation of functions especially for COVID-19 testing and this militated against a timeous response to the pandemic.
5.1.12 The Committee noted that there was lack of essential Personal Protective Equipment for both health and construction workers thus, exposing both the workers and patients to the virus and the injuries.
6.0 Recommendations
6.1 The Committee, therefore, recommends the following:
6.1.1 Government should increase the emergency funding towards the rehabilitation of health, education, transport facilities and infrastructure in the flood affected regions by 30 June 2021.
6.1.2 Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should speed up construction of houses for the victims of Cyclone Idai and handover the houses by 30 June 2021.
6.1.3 Treasury should provide some budgetary allocation in the 2021 National Budget for the expeditious rehabilitation of COVID-19 treatment and isolation facilities particularly in the grassroots. Priority should be given to the construction of a Quarantine Centre in Plumtree by 30 June 2021.
6.1.4 The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should ensure that the Civil Protection Unit has an adequate human capital resource compliment to deal with all kinds of disaster by 30 June 2021.
6.1.5 There is need for the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to ensure the procurement of essential equipment for long-range weather forecasting and Disaster Management in Zimbabwe by 30 December 2021.
6.1.6 The Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities should provide houses to those affected by floods before the start of 2021/2022 rain season.
6.1.7 The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare should ensure that the victims of Cyclone Idai continue to get adequate monthly food supplies and ongoing psycho-social support.
6.1.8 The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should develop a framework outlining the minimum norms and standards for coordinating humanitarian aid in times of disaster by 30 June 2021.
6.1.9 Government should second appropriately trained and skilled provincial staff to the district levels to assist in carrying out all required services whenever there is a natural disaster.
6.1.10 The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage should ensure that border areas are adequately capacitated with both human and financial resources to adequately monitor and manage the porous border areas, corruption and resource leakages by 31 June 2021.
7.0 Conclusion
7.1 It is of great importance for Zimbabwe to be very alert to possible incidents of natural disasters and respond promptly to such disasters. Natural disasters if not managed properly can lead to loss of lives and infrastructure. The visits conducted to areas affected shows that as a country we are not yet fully prepared to manage disasters. Government is urged to make disaster prevention and management a priority. Failure to do so, Government will always fork out more resources to mitigate against the impact of disasters. I thank you
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