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Vendors , Touts Mass Onto Site The influx of scores of touts and food vendors at the collapsed Nkankezi Bridge in Filabusi , Matebeleland South , has created a health time bomb and stoked other serious social problems , the local MP said recently . Nkankezi bridge links the Masvingo-Mbalabala , Gwanda and Zvishavane highway . Part of it was swept away by heavy rains last week , making the crossing effectively impassable for both public and private transport . NewZimbabwe . com visited the damaged bridge and witnessed buses and private taxis parked on both sides of the crossing .
Travellers had to get off buses at one end and use a makeshift nearby ramp to get to those forced to terminate on the other side .
Enter scores of touts who found brisk business helping move passengers and goods from places such as Mutare , Masvingo and Zvishavane along with those from Bulawayo , Gwanda and Beitbridge buses .
Dozens of travellers from both sides of the crossing could be seen crossing the river through a disused nearby causeway bridge while some enterprising vendors were busy selling trading wares at the site .
Some vendors were also cooking Sadza while some were selling opaque beer within the vicinity of the bridge .
“ This unexpected influx of people at this place has created a lot of health challenges . As you can see , there are no toilets and people are using the bush to relieve themselves .
“ There is also no clean water and people are using river water to cook and drink ,” said Andrew Langa , the MP for the area recently . The legislator said his office would soon engage the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare over the increasing health hazards at the site .
“ Considering that the bridge might take up to three or four months before completion , we are suggesting that relevant government departments should put temporary sanitation facilities at the site such as toilets and clean water ,” said the former Sports and Culture minister .
Langa said the bridge would be rebuilt from a $ 30 million facility which he said government availed for the humanitarian crisis induced by the recent heavy rains .
When the media crew arrived at the scene , workers from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development were busy carrying out excavation works at the disused causeway to facilitate the movement of light vehicles only .
Heavy rains that have been pounding the country since last December last left a trail of destruction , killing scores of people and damaging homes , bridges , crops , livestock , roads , dams and other key infrastructure . The cash-strapped government has since appealed for about US $ 100m to support the emergency relief programmes to help those displaced by the floods . Authorities said villages in the southern part of the country were the worst affected with roads and bridges being destroyed .
The latest estimates put the death toll at nearly 250 , while thousands have been left homeless after above-average rainfall hit the country since December
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