Story by Providence Maraneli
Government thrust to bridge the digital divide between the once marginalised communities and urban areas continues to gain traction, with the Mlamphelele community of Gwanda South set to benefit from the POTRAZ tower relocation programme.
On our way to Mankonkoni Irrigation Scheme along the Shashe River in Gwanda South, we passed through a business centre in Mashaba area and we asked for a spot to make a call because of network challenges.
To our surprise, we were told that we only needed to have a neighbouring Botswana network line to make calls because all three Zimbabwean networks were not available in the border-lying area.
This scenario poses difficulties to the villagers who cannot cross the flooded Shashe River during rainy season which makes it difficult to communicate.
“We only buy MASCOM and sell it around here because our local network is not there and now with the rains we can’t cross to Botswana to order so it’s a challenge,” said a community member.
“There is no network even if you have a problem you can’t call an ambulance,” said another community member.
“There is an information gap around this area because of network,” added a community member.
All hope is, however, not lost after the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) through its tower relocation programme has started the erection of a tower at Mlambaphele border post which the local leadership say will bridge the information gap that existed between the border lying areas and the urban areas.
“I am happy that we have been remembered, it has been difficult for people here, they could not communicate, we have cattle rustlers but even when we try to coordinate raids on cattle rustlers there was no way. If someone is sick you cannot call the ambulance, but with what is going on we are hopeful now,” said Headman Rantasi.
“This will solve most of our challenges in this area, we have elephants that destroy fields and one has to travel to Gwanda to deliver the message. This is a welcome move,” said area councillor, Cde Andrew Ndlovu.
The Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Omphile Marupi, who is also the area legislator who toured the tower construction site, reiterated government’s thrust to bridge the digital divide between once marginalised communities and urban areas.
“For long this community was separated from other areas, the world and the country , there are three viable irrigation schemes around but they could not market their produce and also could not understand the weather patterns. This will close that gap and as the President always says no one should be left behind surely this is what he mean. We are really grateful to the POTRAZ programme,” he said.
The Second Republic is on an inclusive developmental trajectory which is targeting to achieve a digital economy by 2030.
