THE Matabeleland North province has embarked on a process to modernise waste water treatment and reticulation systems in its urban councils to ensure the plants meet current standards of efficiency and environmental safety.
This was said by an official during the Matabeleland North Investment Indaba 2025 held in the Umguza district last week.
Lupane Local Board housing officer Freedom Sibanda, who was representing urban councils at the meeting, said the move was meant to drive socio-economic growth through strategic investments in infrastructure value addition.
During his presentation, Sibanda said they were in the process of upgrading and rehabilitating Empumalanga township by modernising the waste water treatment plant at a cost of US$500 000.
He said this would ensure the plant met current standards of efficiency and environmental safety.
“We have also embarked on a sewage reticulation system in Lupane aimed at establishing an efficient waste water treatment plant and reticulation to cover the whole town in ward 1 for US$18 million,” he said.
Sibanda said they were also working on servicing stands at Mtshibini Housing Scheme in the Lupane Local Board, comprising 898 high-density stands, nine flats, a primary school, and a sports and recreational facility.
He said the project also included a fuel filling station, adding that its layout plan had already been approved.
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Sibanda said there were vast opportunities for energy generation as the province was home to one of the natural wonders of the world — Victoria Falls — where, according to the Ramsar Site, there is abundant sunlight for solar energy generation.
He said the province had also established the Hlangabeza housing scheme in Nkayi Rural District Council, among other rural district councils, with 786 high-density stands.
He said the project, which includes 14 flats, was being constructed at a cost of US$5 million.
There are three urban local authorities and seven rural district councils, in the province, which is endowed with natural resources and cultural diversity, including coal and gold deposits in Hwange, Umguza and Bubi.
The province has coal bed methane, gas and lithium, tantalum and tin — Hwange and Lupane, Arable land —Umguza, Kusile and Bubi district. Fauna — Hwange, Tsholotsho, Victoria Falls, Binga. Flora — teak belt (natural hardwood), Nkayi, Kusile and Hwange. Heritage sites — Pupu Shrine, Batonga Heritage Site.
The area covers 75 025km² with an estimated population of 827 626 people as per the 2022 census, with its provincial capital Lupane.
