Prominance Sinomusa Khumalo
Bulawayo, once a thriving Metropolis, has become a shadow of its former self. Neglected roads, abandoned industries, and a Central Business District (CBD) that has lost its former glory have left elderly residents lamenting the city’s decline.
Gogo Rose Nyathi, a long-time resident, remembers when Bulawayo was considered one of the cleanest cities internationally.
“Now, it’s a city of dirt, a city of potholes,” she said.
The complaints emerged from a Memorial service that was conducted for the late Alderman
Councillor Colin Stuart Lumsden at the Bulawayo City Council chambers last week.
Aldermen who worked with the late councilor deviated from the memorial procedings to point at the decline of the City’s lustre.
“It’s like a different city altogether,” said Alderman Dennis Ndlovu.
“This is painful, edolobheni eselinje,…ayi akumnandi, ngizwa ubuhlungu okumangalisayo. Ilifa esalitshiyelwa nguLumsden… akuseyikho lokhu.” Another Alderman Ndlovu bemoaned the decline.
Former Town Clerk who was amongst the Alderman stood and lamented the willy-nilly roasting of maize-mealies by vendors right in the middle of the CBD.
“This is so disheartening. People roasting maize in the center of town. Sokuyigotshigotshi yonke indawo. This was unheard of during our tenure. What has happened Mr. Mayor?”
“We’ve gone from being a major industrial center to a place where people just roast maize on the streets. It’s heartbreaking.”
The CBD, once the heartbeat of Bulawayo’s economy, has transformed into a hub of informal activities. Makeshift stalls roasting maize have replaced the bustling shops and businesses that once defined the area.
The city council has come under fire for allowing the CBD to become a growth point for informal activities. Alderman Robert Ndlovu raised hus own concerns about the decline of the City of Bulawayo during the same memorial service.
“We never allowed such things to happen in Bulawayo. Nowadays councillors are not even humble enough to ask advice from us.”
Residents and business owners are outraged by the council’s inaction.
“They seem more interested in collecting permits from vendors than addressing the root causes of our city’s decline,” said Mr. Siziba, a resident of Pelandaba.
The city’s decline has left many wondering what went wrong and how to revive the Bulawayo of old. Will the City Fathers heed the cries of its Aldermen and restore Bulawayo to its former glory, or will the maize roasting stalls become a permanent fixture?
Questions remain:
- What led to Bulawayo’s decline?
- Can the city be restored to its former state?
- How will the authorities address the concerns of its citizens?
Points of concern:
- The City council has allowed the CBD to become a growth point for informal activities.
- People are cooking and selling food on the streets, creating health and safety hazards.
- The council’s efforts to address the issue have been short-lived and ineffective.
- Law and order has broken down in the CBD, with vendors and customers ignoring many By-laws.
- Residents and business owners are demanding a long-term solution to the problem.
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