VILLAGERS of Sontala area in ward 12 of Maphisa, Matabeleland South, have appealed to well-wishers for donations to construct a clinic, as the nearest health delivery centres are far away.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
The villagers told Southern Eye this week that it was an insult that 36 years after independence, the government has failed to construct a clinic for them.
According to villagers, the Maphisa council has allocated them a piece of land to construct a clinic, but lack of funds and building materials is stalling the process.
“We applied for land to construct a clinic and our application was successful. Pegging was done, but what is left is for us to buy building materials.
“We have come up with a fundraising initiative, where each household contributes $1 towards the project, but it is not enough,” ward 12 councillor, Nomhle Mpofu, said in an interview.
She appealed for funds, and building materials to enable the community to construct the clinic.
“We will provide labour and assist wherever possible,” the councillor said.
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What angers some villagers is the fact that promises of a clinic are only raised during election periods.
Peter Dube, a villager and chairperson of the Sontala development committee said the nearest clinic was about 20km away.
“The elderly, young and pregnant find it difficult to walk such distances to access basic health care services,” he said.
“I cannot even talk of the terminally ill because what it means is that they will be left to die at home because of the distance. We are appealing to companies, individuals and anyone, who can assist us to construct a clinic, at least even with basic health care services.”
Habbakuk Trust executive director, Dumisani Nkomo said his organisation will assist villagers in sourcing funds for the clinic construction.
“They now have a site for the clinic construction and our role now is to be like a facilitator, and a catalyst and getting to link them with those who have the resources,” he said.
