Natalie Nyathi
Cow dray Park is a sprawling and still growing, population wise, suburb in the Northwest of Bulawayo.
The nearest houses are located 16 kilometers from the Central Business District, whereas, because of continued growth there are some dwellings that are now 25 kilometers or further from the CBD.
The suburb lacks serious infrastructural development since in some sections of the vast suburb lack reticulation system.
Some houses use latrines and electricity is a dream.
In those sections and some that were long built there is no piped water.
The Urban Council Act Chapter 29:15 Act provides for the establishment of municipalities and towns and the administration of such municipalities and towns by local boards, municipal and town councils, the Act is also used to provide for the conferring of a town and or city status on growth points.
For a place to be declared a town or even city, factors such as population growth, investors, Infrastructural development, land are considered.
Its been over a year since the government of ZANU-PF, under the Urban Scheme Hlalani Kuhle proposed to make Cowdray Park a distinct town within Bulawayo.
Cowdray Park is one of the largest if not the largest suburb in Bulawayo with an alarming estimated population of about 76 500 people.
According to the latest preliminary Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency Cowdray Park is the second most populated suburb in Zimbabwe after Harare’s Buduriro suburb which has 89 287 people.
Cowdray Park’s population surpasses that of the small towns of Gwanda and Hwange with 27 143 and 40 241 respectively.
As a campaign tool then, July Moyo, the Minister of Local Government and Public Works told journalists that central Government has long-term plans to transform Cowdray Park into a “stand-alone city”.
” We want a well designed city which would be like a stand alone city, which visits a distinct part of Bulawayo. I will push for that so that we come up with plans if that nature and there are business people who want to invest in this and we should encourage them. ” Said the Minister at the time.
Minister Moyo went on to say that schools, clinics, police stations with other amenities would be established.
This was said last year in June.
The silence by the Government and even the Minister himself is so loud as there is absolutely nothing to show if ever Cowdray Park will move to be a stand alone City.
It has become a norm that government ministers especially from the ruling party utter such statements during campaign periods and nothing happens soon after.
The statement to turn Cowdray Park into a city was said during the by- elections campaign period.
At the same time Minister July Moyo had said the Government was committed to addressing major challenges facing residents of Hlalani Kuhle who have gone for years without sewer and water.
The situation is still the same.
A survey carried out by this reporter to establish developments which have been carried out by the government in order to curb the challenges faced by Cowdray Park residents or to turn the suburb into a town, one Ntombi Khumalo said,
“For the meantime nothing has been done considering the fact that some of us still have to use the bush as toilets and have to fetch water from nearby wells commonly known as “emthonjeni ” so as to avoid inconveniencing fellow neighbours who already have sewer and water reticulation by asking water daily”.
” I had to purchase a solar system 2 months back after seeing that nothing was being done about Zesa so that we can be able to use our electrical gadgets and we have resorted to using gas as a source of fuel for cooking” said another resident who preferred to remain anonymous.
Reviewing the Government’s National Development Strategy (NDS 1) ZWL $12 billion was disbursed by Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) for road maintenance and rehabilitation but there is nothing to show of the money. Cowdray Parks roads be it gravel or tarred are in a sorry state.
The City Council seem to have thrown in the towel as well.
Population growth alone will not have Cowdray Park turned into a stand alone town or ‘city’. If this was the case, Budiriro suburb in Harare would have been declared one long back. Even the distance from Bulawayo CBD does not necessitate the declaration. But infrastructural development which is a serious lack in this vast suburb would be a driving force.
The growth of the suburb is alarming and true to the Minister’s words it deserves such a recognition, but such recognition must have merit.
Utterances said during campaign will not foster any meaningful development and Zimbabweans are devoid of such.
e Authority (ZIMRA), the tax collector.
Statutory Tax Obligations means the responsibility for payment of taxes, withholding, certification and reporting requirements, claims for exemptions or refunds, interest, penalties and other related expenses instituted through Statutory Instruments or Acts of Parliament.
Simply expressed, all tax heads emanating from ZIMRA are legal and must be made good.
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) was established on 19 January 2001 as a successor org…
[13:13, 25/10/2022] N. A. T. I. E🌹🌻: CITY COUNCIL NEGLECTS RENKINI
20 OCTOBER 2022
2000 HOURS CAT
Zim GBC NEWS
Natalie Nyathi,
Business Reporter
www.zimgbcnews.co.zw
With several uncollected rubbish dumpsites dotted around, non functioning restrooms, worn-out pot holed surfaces to worn out shades, an observer can tell how neglected the once famous Rank In (Renkini) is from its current state.
RENKINI is the oldest designated station where rural and long distance bus operators are supposed to ferry passengers from to their destinations.
The Rank In used to cater for such destinations as Victoria Falls, Nkayi, Lupane, Plumtree, Beitbridge, Harare and afar field as Mutare.
Because of its neglected state many rural as well as highway buses are ferrying at unlawful areas such as Max Gara…
[13:14, 25/10/2022] N. A. T. I. E🌹🌻: ARE TOUTERS NECESSARY?
20 OCTOBER 2022
16:00 HOURS CAT
ZIM GBC NEWS
Natalie Nyathi,
Business Reporter
www.zimgbcnews.co.zw
Wherever there is a pirating vehicle, there is a tout.
Touts are self employed, self deployed and self managed at each and every corner were a Mushikashika is found.
And nowadays especially in the Royal City, touts are found anywhere wherever Commuter Omnibuses commonly referred to as “Kombis” pirate, acting as rank marshals.
The best dictionary description of a tout is the one which says,
a person who attempts to sell (something) typically by direct or persistent approach.
And their approach is extremely persistent.
In Bulawayo, the City of Kings and Queens, touts are resident at the Centre Parking of City Hall along 8th A…
Natalie
- The Tricycle story, I told Natalie that the speaker was joking and as such she was supposed to. present her story as such.
she was supposed to. tell the reader that Sizwakele was. joking since she was challenged on cycling
Am researching in the Byo City Council corruption as such stories carry legal. implication s
the combi, conductir story should have been party of the one. she wrote concern. the necessity of Touts
then the Anti sanctions story needs her. in depth input that is so. lacking,
ZIMBABWEA IS NOT UNDER SANCTIONS , INDIVIDUALS ARE
25 OCTOBER 2022
17:00 HOURS CAT
Zim GBC NEWS
Natalie Nyathi,
Business Reporter
www.zimgbcnews.co.zw
The 25th of October was designated by the 39th SADC Summit that was held in Tanzania on the 29th of August as the Anti-Sactions day.
Bulawayo residents were involved in a march led by the President Mnangagwa against restrictive and illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
The economic embargoes, imposed in 2001 are constricting the nation’s economy by making it impossible for the country to secure credit and foreign direct investments.
” Sanctions have hindered us from accessing support and fresh capital from International financial Institutions, (IFIs)”, said President Mnangagwa in his speech.
He …
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