Nkosentsha Khumalo
Emganwini Residents in Bulawayo are after their Ward 26 Councillor, Mpumelelo Moyo whom they are accusing of incompetency.
The Councilor is accused of, among other things, failure to address the water shortages.
The matter became known during the Full Council meeting, held at Bulawayo City Hall Chambers, where councillors met to debate the Council minutes of last month.
Bulawayo City for a long time has been under a dry spell causing a water crisis, where some residents in most parts of the City are now going beyond the 120 hour water shedding schedule.
The City Fathers for years have been failing to resolve the water shortages crisis due to delays in the completion of projects such as the Glass Block dam in Filabusi and Gwayi-Shangani dam which is said to be at 74% by the government.
Most residents in Bulawayo are spending most of their time fetching water at boreholes.
Clr. Moyo urged the Council Committee to urgently come up with permanent solutions that will adddress the issue of Water shortages once and for all.
He said that the City is straying away from development as residents are spending 90% of their time fetching water.
Amid the water crisis, Emganwini residents are accusing their newly elected councillor for failing to keep the promises he made before they voted him into office in the August 2023 General Elections.
Bulawayo residents have now resorted to mobilize against their councillors whenever there is loadshedding of water. However, councillors still have no immediate solutions to resolve the water woes faced by the residents.
“If we don’t address the water crisis issue here as this Council, I think we are doing nothing to attract investors into the City even for ourselves when we leave this place.
“Unfortunately where I stay at my place, the residents are frustrated, they actually broke into my place, they damaged my JoJo tank and it’s now leaking.
“They are doing this because they are saying Councillor you are only benefiting yourself, what about ordinary citizens?
“I have got the videos here (as evidence of the break in), they damaged my Jojo tank yesterday night, because they are saying that I’m not even talking about these issues but shying away from them,” Moyo said.
The councillor said the water issue is now way beyond a crisis, and urged the Council that something needs to be done in the reports rather than read dam levels and statistics.
Moyo said he is now afraid of leaving Council Chambers as residents might accuse him of failing to solve issues affecting them.
In a similar development, Emganwini Glenkara Phase 2 WhatsApp Community group, residents accused the Councillor for not giving updates of the water shortages.
Cllr. Moyo had promised to give all updates pertaining Ward 26 residents on WhatsApp groups.
A resident in the group, a MaMhlongo complained,
“Give people updates they want, don’t try to look for excuses no one can hijack a group that’s why it’s called group, anyone is allowed to share, if you want to isolate yourself from community groups do so without fake reasons.
“People have (had) no water for a while now, there is cholera outbreak and you can’t even look for bowsers to give water to people here, you are trying to give excuses, be a service deliver as you promised,”She said.
MaMhlongo said election time is over and its now time to deliver.
Another member from the same group echoed the same sentiments,
“@Cllr MOYO. We are past campaign(ing) and elections mode .. as a leader you keep your ward informed on development issues . There is no permanent enemy in politics plus you service all residents without any conditions . This group can’t suffer for political and personal reasons.”
Councillor Moyo continued to bemoan that some Emganwini residents are giving him sleepless nights pertaining the issue of housing stands they claim to have bought from the City Council.
At the same Full Council meeting, Moyo said,
“There is also the issue of stands. Residents purchased the stands of which I believe 8 years ago and it was agreed that they will pay US$585 top up or so.
“We as the City Council had agreed that when residents pay 60% of the top up then we are going to continue with the works that were incomplete.
“More than 60% of the residents who were allocated land have already paid and now they are coming to me saying that an agreement was made and why the deal has not yet been implemented,” Moyo explained.
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