By MKHOKHELI ZIBENGWA
The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Hon Engineer B. Kabikira, conducted a site visit to the National Heroes Acre yesterday to assess progress on the construction of additional graves.
The project, supervised by the Department of Public Works, has been subcontracted to two construction firms, Tensor and Hualong, each tasked with building 52 graves. A total of 104 graves will be constructed in phases, with the first phase focusing on 52 graves, divided equally between the two contractors.
According to Hon Eng Kabikira, the project commenced in mid-June and is expected to be completed within three months, although slight adjustments to the timeline may be necessary due to changes in the scope of work.
"We were supposed to finish all 104 graves within three months, but due to the shift in the scope of work, there may be changes in completion timeframes," Eng Kabikira explained.
The original plan had the contractors working from top to bottom, but due to the depletion of available gravesites, they are now working from bottom to top.
Despite these adjustments, the Deputy Minister expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far. Tensor Construction is slated to complete 20 graves within the next two weeks, while Hualong is working diligently to finalize its portion of the project. During the assessment tour, Hon Eng Kabikira was accompanied by Chief Director for Public Works, Engineer T. Magwaza, and other officials.
The visit underscored the government's commitment to honoring its heroes by expanding the National Heroes Acre to accommodate more graves for future generations.
