An evaluation of the role of public-private partnerships (PPPS) in livelihoods provision. An impact assessment of the rehabilitation of Plumtree-Mutare road on the people of Gweru urban

Abstract

The study’s aim was to understand the role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in livelihoods provision. The Plumtree-Mutare road rehabilitation was done under the PPP framework. It was necessary to study the impacts in Gweru because some of the national benefits are overstated, elitist, and remote which the poor cannot easily feel. PPPs were chosen as government had no funds thus it formed Infra-link, a joint venture with Group 5 International financed by a USD $206 million dollar loan from the Development Bank of Southern Africa. The objectives of the study were; establishing operating methods of the company and benefits of the road rehabilitation. The second was to understand challenges limitations faced by Group 5 and the people. Thirdly, it aimed to show the coping mechanisms adopted after Group 5 downsized. Qualitative research was used to explore the sustainability of the program through many dimensions to get conclusive results on the effectiveness of PPPs. Nationally 2 000 jobs were created while in Gweru a peak of 150 local jobs were availed, currently there are 90 workers and 33 are women. The national challenges include lack of consultancy, participation, transparency, ;arbitrary policy and statutory instruments changing by the government and Group 5. Coping mechanisms for challenges faced by Group 5, included retrenchments which affected 400 people in the country and over 40 people in Gweru. Many workers sought alternative employment or joined the informal sector. Vendors who were affected by the roads finishing simply returned to their old places or moved to more emerging profitable markets. As for recommendations, recommendations were put forward for government to be more transparent to attract more investors. The study recommended that government must protect workers from unplanned dismals even when government is a shareholder.