The Ministry of Roads and Infrastructural Development says it is working to shorten detours passing through wildlife zones along the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Road, following concerns from conservationists and tourism operators over increased traffic inside game park corridors. The temporary route, designed by contractor Asphalt Products, diverts traffic from Cross Mabale through Mpofu Turn, Dete Shops and Cross Dete, a stretch cutting across the Hwange National Park buffer zone. Another contractor, Bitumen Resources, is also operating within the affected wildlife area.
During a media tour to assess progress on the rehabilitation works, Ministry engineer Jarawani Kangara acknowledged that heavy traffic, especially haulage trucks transporting coal and other materials, was disturbing wildlife along the detour. “I am sure you are aware that for us to construct a detour we should close the road. In some cases these detours are going through the game parks,” he said.
“Haulage trucks make a lot of noise, and they disturb or scare the wildlife.” Kangara said the Ministry was engaging contractors to ensure the length of detours inside game parks is reduced as much as possible. “We are trying to reduce the kilometres of detours in the game parks and also shorten the construction period. That is why contractors are targeting completion next year, some around October.
[paywall]
“Obviously disturbances will be there, but the idea is to reduce them. We cannot say there are no disturbances, but we want to minimise them.” He added that workers operating along the detour routes were safe and that measures were in place to manage risks. Permanent Secretary for the Ministry, Engineer Joy Makumbe, said authorities were taking steps to limit the environmental impact of the rehabilitation works.
“We have to make sure we don’t completely destroy the animal reserve,” she said. “Where there is construction there is already destruction, but we minimise it so that we reduce conflict between humans and wildlife.” The rehabilitation of the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls highway, a major tourism and trade route, has raised alarm among conservation groups who fear the detours could increase wildlife stress, disrupt migratory patterns and heighten the risk of road accidents involving animals.
[/paywall]
