Regional Seminar Proceedings 1993

Project Background

With financial assistance from DANIDA and SIDA, the Government of Zimbabwe, through the Department of State Roads of the Ministry of Transport, commenced in 1991 a road rehabilitation programme using labour-based methods and local resources. A first pilot site started in 1991 with technical assistance provided by a Danish consultancy firm, COWIconsult. Under this project, demonstration sites have been implemented, management procedures and administrative systems have been developed and tested and staff trained. This project was positively evaluated in 1993 and it has been proposed to expand and institutionalize these activities during a six year period starting mid 1994. SIDA and DANIDA will continue to provide financial and technical support, with 35% of the invest costs for the works being provided by the Government of Zimbabwe.

The design of these roads complies with the design standards used by the Department of State Roads for low-volume all-weather gravel roads. Figure 3.1 shows the cross section of the roads being constructed by the labour-based programme.

The roads originally dirt tracks which are now upgraded to a 6 m carriage way with a 15 cm gravel layer. The roads alignment runs through tribal communal lands in slightly rolling and rocky terrain. Before the rehabilitation works, access was restricted to the dry season, with approximately 20 vehicles per day. The average daily traffic on the completed road section has been registered at 50 - 70 vehicles per day.

Work Methods

The projects are executed using labour-based construction methods complemented with light equipment for compaction and hauling of gravel and water. All earthworks are carried out by manual labour. Excavation of gravel, drainage, camber formation and installation of culverts is done by hand. Gravel is transported by tractor drawn trailers but loaded, unloaded and spread by labour. Compaction is carried out by Bomag pedestrian rollers. Gravel sources have been located in the vicinity of the road alignment.

DANIDA Project

The DANIDA assisted project started out with the upgrading of 28.7 km of Road 185 in Mudzi and Mutoko District. These works were completed in August 1993, the project commenced construction on Road 278 and has so far completed 21.2 km.

The work has been carried out by extensive use of labour combined with a fleet of light equipment. Operating at full strength, the project has employed around 400 labourers, divided into two teams. Each team has 5 supervisors, with ne being in charge overall per team. This construction unit has experienced a maximum output of 4 - 4,5 km gravelled per month during the last half of 1992 and the beginning of 1993.

The equipment pool consists of the following:

6 tractors MF 390
12 Tinto non-tipping trailers 3 m³
4 Bomag pedestrian rollers 950 kg
2 water bowsers 4500 l (Tinto)
2 water bowsers 1000 l (Tinto)
2 Honda water pumps
2 generators 11 & 5 kVA)
1 tipper truck (to be replaced by a 5 tonne flat bed truck)
2 Toyota Hilux single cab
2 Honda motor bikes

Table 3.1 and figure 3.2 and 3.3 summarize the costs and labour productivity achieved so far on this project.

Table 3.1 Production and Cost Data (Zimbabwean Dollars)

Major Constraints

Long and expensive water haulage during the dry season, particularly May to November 1992.

Inadequate cement supplies for drainage works.

Considerable down time on the tractors and trailers as the equipment got older. This is mainly related to the hitch, fuel injectors, rims and tires on the tractors, and lacking A-frame on the trailers causing the trailer axle to become loose, and cracking o the bucket.

Figure 3.2

Figure 3.3

Senior staff salaries for engineers, and partly superintendents and stores assistants.

Staff housing and office units. These are costed instead on a monthly hire charge basis.

Expatriate staff salaries and accommodation, and supervision vehicle costs.

Miscellaneous costs such as classroom rental, photocopier, computer, etc.

Labour Statistics

Each of the road construction projects has provided temporary employment to approximately 1300 unskilled workers recruited from the nearby villages, of which on average 25% were women. The duration of their employment has varied, with approximately 50% recruited for a minimum period of three months. Table 3.2 summarizes the total numbers employed and their gender distribution.

Table 3.2 Employment Data

90% of the works carried out by the unskilled labour has been organized as task work. The daily wage rate for casual unskilled labour is currently 8.73 Z$/day (US$ 1.34).

With financial assistance from SIDA and with technical assistance provided by the Swedish consulting firm SWEROAD, rehabilitation works commenced in April 1993 on the 18 km Mutoko -Nyamazuwe section of Road 185. Currently this project is progressing with a monthly production of 4 km executed by two teams of 200 labourers. Each team is assisted by an equipment fleet consisting of 3 tractors and 6 trailers, 1 water bowser and 2 rollers (1500 kg). Average number of work days is currently 2269 wd/km. The project is expected to be completed by November 1993 at a final cost of 70 000 Z$/km (11 500 US$/km).