Two more dams near Newcastle Farm might break soon, putting over 400 families at risk downstream. This danger comes right after last Sunday when five children died because of another dam failure in the same area. These dangerous dams give water to Lot Eight, Lot Nine, Lot 11, and Lot 12. They sit close to Bandama Farm Dam, which burst last weekend and caused those deaths.
Deputy Minister Vangelis Peter Haritatos promised stronger rules for farmers about dam upkeep. The Zimbabwe National Water Authority will check dams more often. Haritatos ordered people living below the dams to move away fast. He called the deaths sad and painful and said they needed reports about all dams in the district. His team found one dam already showing weakness and told workers to fix it fast.
Haritatos told the District Development Coordinator to help villagers move to higher ground right away. He said they must find new land for these people because they cannot watch more people die from problems they can prevent. The government plans to make ZINWA watch farm dams better. He stressed that farmers should work with ZINWA and Catchment Area staff since keeping dams safe helps everyone nearby.
Village head Tobias Sithole blamed poor dam care for the tragedy. He said the dams date back to the early 1980s, but upkeep standards fell after resettlement. Councillor Lazarus Dhliwayo added that there's actually another dam they couldn't check yet because of rain and time limits. The government helped pay for the funerals of the five children who died. Deputy Minister Benjamin Kabikira visited as President Mnangagwa's messenger.
Kabikira said they saw how much damage the flood caused, including wrecked bridges and lost livestock. The government brought food for the funerals. They want to help the grieving families and make sure they don't face these costs alone. This fits with President Mnangagwa's promise to leave nobody and no place behind during hard times.
Deputy Minister Vangelis Peter Haritatos promised stronger rules for farmers about dam upkeep. The Zimbabwe National Water Authority will check dams more often. Haritatos ordered people living below the dams to move away fast. He called the deaths sad and painful and said they needed reports about all dams in the district. His team found one dam already showing weakness and told workers to fix it fast.
Haritatos told the District Development Coordinator to help villagers move to higher ground right away. He said they must find new land for these people because they cannot watch more people die from problems they can prevent. The government plans to make ZINWA watch farm dams better. He stressed that farmers should work with ZINWA and Catchment Area staff since keeping dams safe helps everyone nearby.
Village head Tobias Sithole blamed poor dam care for the tragedy. He said the dams date back to the early 1980s, but upkeep standards fell after resettlement. Councillor Lazarus Dhliwayo added that there's actually another dam they couldn't check yet because of rain and time limits. The government helped pay for the funerals of the five children who died. Deputy Minister Benjamin Kabikira visited as President Mnangagwa's messenger.
Kabikira said they saw how much damage the flood caused, including wrecked bridges and lost livestock. The government brought food for the funerals. They want to help the grieving families and make sure they don't face these costs alone. This fits with President Mnangagwa's promise to leave nobody and no place behind during hard times.
